In a
programming first, Deco Drive,
the popular, trendy TV entertainment show visited
Sidelines Sports Bar on Sunday, October 7,
to film the festivities generally associated with
football Sundays in the popular gay sports bar. The
producers of the show wanted to feature Sidelines as an
alternative and diverse venue for gay sports fans.
In
a jam-packed bar teeming with football fans cheering at their team’s
performance, Deco Drive was able to capture on film the very
essence of Sidelines – a place where one could have high spirited fun with
friends and feel “normal” in a comfortable environment. Producer John Hayden
and cameraman Wayne McGowan made their way around the club taping
interviews with some of the loyal fans and patrons. “It was exciting to
experience the filming of a real live television segment, especially from such a
well-known show like Deco Drive”,
commented Laurie Whittaker, co-owner of Sidelines Sports Bar. The airing
of the segment was delayed due to the pre-empting of Major League Baseball’s
championship series. Sidelines’ management has been advised, however, that the
segment is tentatively scheduled to air on Monday, October 22, at
7:30 PM.Deco Drive airs on WSVN Fox - Channel 7. So,
program your TIVO’s,
VCR’s or DVD’s to that time and channel and watch one of your favorite watering
holes in the limelight. Who knows, you may already be a celebrity!
Ruby-J's
As most
of you have heard by name Madame’s in Sunny Isles closed for renovations
after 5 years of successful business. They re-opened under the new name
Ruby-J's, and will be open Mon through Sat (6:00pm - 2:00am); closed on Sundays.
Mondays will be open dining, Tuesdays Karaoke, Wednesdays will feature Live
vocals of Terry Cain (formerly of Madame's Cabaret),
Thursdays features Jazz & Blues with Katriva Riggins (an original
Madame's cast member), and Fridays and Saturday will be Drag & Dine with the
cast of Madame's featuring Nicolette, Nicole, & Franchesque with 3 shows
nightly. Show times will be 8:00, 10:00 & 12:00. The Grand Opening Nights will
be Wed and Thurs Oct 24th & 25th.
To The Moon
Marketplace”
Best of Gay South Florida
Congratulations goes out to Antonio of “To The Moon Marketplace”
as he won the Express Gay News Best Of Gay South
Florida
as the Best Novelty Store. A couple weeks ago Antonio had the World famous
Red Hat Ladies shopping in his store, now that was definitely a fun site to
see!
Broward Center Welcomes
Broadway Legend Barbara Cook
Broadway
legend Barbara Cook appears in concert one night only, at 8 p.m. Oct.
22 at the
Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. "An
Evening With Barbara Cook" marks the first show of the 22nd season of the
highly acclaimed Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus. As part of this special
evening of song and dance, the 80-member Chorus will present several popular
Broadway standards, Ms. Cook will join the Chorus for several numbers and then
will have the spotlight to herself for a portion of the evening. Barbara Cook
made her Broadway debut in 1951 as the ingénue lead in the musical "Flahooley."
She subsequently played Ado Annie in the City Center revival of "Oklahoma!"
followed by a national tour of that show. In 1954 she performed as Carrie
Pipperidge in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," and went on to create the
role of Cunegonde in the original production of Leonard Bernstein's "Candide."
This was followed by her creations of two classic roles in the America musical
theater: Marian the Librarian in the premiere production of Meredith Willson's
"The Music Man," a performance which earned her the Tony Award, and Amalia in
the Bock-Harnick-Masteroff musical "She Loves Me." She has also had starring
roles in "The Gay Life," "The Grass Harp," and the legendary CityCenter
revival of "The King and I." Ms. Cook has enjoyed a sensational second career.
The artist, who will turn 80 the week of her Fort Lauderdale appearance, has
played to sold-out houses the past few years including her 1997 birthday concert
with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Albert Hall in London, and a
succession of triumphant performances in Carnagies Hall, where she made a
legendary solo concert debut in 1975. Last year she became the first female pop
singer to present a solo concert at the New York's Metropolitan Opera Company.
She followed that with a sold-out return to Carnegie Hall to perform her sixth
solo concert. Her joint performance with the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus is
the latest in a succession of significant steps the Chorus has taken to become
one of South Florida's most respected and treasured performing arts
organizations. "The concert with Barbara Cook is one more step in promoting
communitywide awareness and understanding of what we do," said Chorus Director
Todd Wiley. "While we have been an integral part of the gay community for
many years, we're pleased that a larger audience is finally discovering what a
treasure the Chorus is. People from across South Florida
are buying tickets and coming to see us, and we're constantly improving and
growing, presenting a product that the entire community can be proud of."
Wiley is now in his seventh season as the head of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's
Chorus. He is an accomplished musician and conductor who has performed with
Roger Williams, the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna Boys Choir and at the
United Nations and has worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Fort Lauderdale Gay
Men's Chorus is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is funded in part by
Broward Cultural Division. The Chorus is composed of more than 80 performers of
all ages and from highly diverse professional, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
While many members have previously performed professionally, the Chorus is a
volunteer organization that thrives on the continued hard work, dedication and
loyalty of its members and numerous supporters. Learn more at
www.ftlgmc.com. Tickets for this very
special evening with one of Broadway's greatest treasures range from $20 to $150
and are on sale through the AutoNation Box Office, online at
www.browardcenter.org or
www.ftlgmc.org.
Events at Carnival Center
Carnival Center for the Performing Arts announced today the addition
of 10 new shows, augmenting its exciting and star-studded second
season with Latin music concerts, provocative new
theater, educating and entertaining shows for young people, and the most popular
choral work of the 20th century. New Concerts - Carnival
Center and Master Chorale of South Florida present the dramatically thunderous
Carmina Burana, a choral work heard in hundreds of movies and
commercials, performed live in the acoustically superb Knight Concert Hall. With
the vibrant music and dance ensemble troupe Perú Negro already in the
lineup, Carnival Center continues to bring the best of Latin America to all its
stages. In the Studio Theater, Brazil’s Luciana Souza puts her sexy bossa nova spin on songs by Joni Mitchell,
James Taylor, Sting, and Randy Newman on January 12. Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective
turn up the tempo and bring audiences to their feet with
Afro-Caribbean beats and moving lyrics that pay tribute to the endangered
Garifuna culture of Central America.
Theater - Fulfilling
Carnival
Center’s ongoing initiative to present cutting-edge and thought-provoking works,
the Center has added four new and widely diverse plays that explore topics from
gender identification and gay rights to mental health and capital punishment.
Becoming a Man
in 127 Easy Steps,
a co-presentation with Tigertail productions, is a comic autobiographical work
by FTM (female-to-male) transgendered performer Scott Turner Schofield that
challenges fundamental assumptions about gender, sex and identity. 1,000 Homosexuals,
a new documentary/fantasy/comedy by Michael Yawney that paints anti-gay crusader
Anita Bryant as a musical Joan of Arc battling a powerful and perverse
gay mafia, is a Carnival
Center commission co-presented with Camposition. On the other end of the
spectrum, Last
Words
is a riveting original play based on the final thoughts emanating from the
hearts and minds of death-row inmates performed as a unique and highly stylized
series of monologues. Low,
a co-presentation with Miami Light Project,is a one-woman floetry-fueled
tour-de-force by Rha Goddess that cuts to the core of the harrowing world of
mental illness through savage monologues, live-feed video and film projection.
Carnival Center’sEducation and Outreach
Department will soon announce a series of pre- and
post-performance discussions, including a partnership with WLRN-FM’s “Topical
Currents,” that will accompany these performances. Visit
www.carnivalcenter.org/educate for
more details. For
Young People -The
beloved children’s picture book The Very Hungry
Caterpillar
and two other Eric Carle favorites come to life on the Knight Concert Hall stage via black-light
illuminated puppets and stirring music – making April 18 and 19 extra special
days for preschoolers and parents alike. The Studio Theater gets a big top
makeover when El Circo de Enriqueta y Agapito takes little children on an
unforgettable Spanish-language adventure to a circus full of puppets, magic,
jugglers, and clowns in the colorful entertainment concocted by Argentine
theater veterans. And last, but not least, Mayhem Poets – a foursome of
hip, young poets – perform a jamming slam of hip hop and theatrical rhythms and
then give Miami middle and high school students an opportunity to freestyle on
stage, right along with them. To purchase tickets, visit
www.carnivalcenter.org or call the Box
Office at (305) 949-6722. H.O.T. at Carnival
Center offers full-time students, seniors (65 and over), and members of the
military Half-Off Tickets purchased on the day of performance. You must present
current picture I.D. on day of show at the Carnival Center Box Office Window;
1300 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown Miami and this is subject to availability of seats
at time of purchase. Limit 1 ticket per purchase. The Carnival Center Box Office
is open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Monday-Friday; beginning at noon on weekends when there is a performance
scheduled; and two hours before every performance.
RENT is coming to Miami's Carnival Center for
the Performing Arts from November 2-
4. Broadway's
Smash-Hit Musical! Now in its 10th Season of Love! Set in the East
Village of New York City, RENT is about being young and learning to survive in
NYC. Its about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner
of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize, RENT
has made a lasting mark on Broadway with songs that rock and a story that really
resonates. Whether it's your 1st time or your 100th time,
the time is now for RENT!
Carnival Center for the Performing Arts
announced today its new “Arts & Activism” series – a six-part series of
public discussions, produced in partnership with WLRN 91.3 FM’s “Topical
Currents,” that offers artists, community activists, scholars and the
general public an opportunity to examine issues and ideas raised by performances
of new works to be presented at the Center this season. WLRN’s “Topical
Currents,” the live issues-oriented call-in show moderated by Joseph Cooper,
will host an on-air discussion with a featured artist, whose work will be
presented at the Center shortly thereafter. Together with community activists,
scholars and callers, the artist will discuss the ways his or her work examines
and illuminates some of today’s most provocative issues. The first “Arts &
Activism” segment, scheduled for 1 p.m.
on Wednesday, October 24, will examine the world of Bugchasers
– communities of men who seek to become HIV positive and the subject of Octavio
Campos’ dance-theater meditation on sex, lies, and death-wish eroticism. Joining
Campos in the discussion is Dr. Michael Wohlfeiler, a prominent HIV/AIDS
doctor at Mercy
Hospital.
Bugchasers
then opens at Carnival Center on Thursday, October 25 (the day
after the on-air program) for a three-day run, with free Q&A discussions
directly following the performances on October 25 and 26. Future programs will
include topics from gender identity and gay rights to mental health and capital
punishment. Following the on-air discussion, audiences will have an opportunity
to see the performance at Carnival Center and continue the discussions through
post-performance Q&A sessions with the artists at Carnival Center. “Arts and
Activism is a look into the minds of our artists, at what they believe and what
inspired them to create the work that will be seen at the Center. Our aim is to
enrich the experience of our audience by hearing from experts before the show
and inviting the public to provide feedback afterward,” said Justin
Macdonnell, Carnival
Center’s artistic director. Additional details, including information on
panelists and post-performance Q&A sessions, will be available soon at
www.carnivalcenter.org/educate. To purchase tickets or view information
about the Carnival Center performances, please visit
www.carnivalcenter.org or call the Box Office at 305.949.6722.
Wicked
Manors Block Party Plans Are Being Finalized for October 31st
The Gay
and Lesbian Community Centerof South Florida (GLCC), Wilton
Manors Business Association, Wilton Manors Main Street and the City of
Wilton Manors are pleased to announce the latest plans for this year’s
Halloween extravaganza. Wicked Manors Block Party will be held on Wilton
Drive between 6th Avenue and 5-points. The event will start with trick or
treating at businesses on the drive between 5-7pm and “Hell on Heels”
Block Party from 7:00pm-midnight with lots of festivities planned throughout the
evening. Co-chair Bobby Kyser, owner of Petals Panache said
“We have had some major sponsors help support this event to make it become
the annual event that we see in other cities. We are expecting thousands of
people to hit Wilton Drive
and enjoy all the activities, food, drink and music.”
There is still time for interested sponsors to become involved and not only be a
part of the fun but to also promote your company in the South Florida
community. “We have been working very closely with the City of Wilton
Manors and the Wilton Manors Police Department to ensure every detail has been
thoroughly planned for a fun yet safe evening”
says Doug Cureton, owner of What’s The Scoop and event Co-chair.
“In anticipation of the crowd that is expected to turn out, we have
contracted with the Fort
Lauderdale High School to use their parking lot for the evening. We will have
preferred parking on the street from 5-points to 11th Avenue with
approximately 150 parking spaces right on the drive for a small fee that will
help with event expenses. We have also hired a shuttle service that will pick up
party-goers at Fort Lauderdale High School, Hagen Park, the intersection of
Wilton Drive and 6th Avenue, stop at Sidelines Bar and end up back at
the High School. We have Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale Police securing the
event with an officer at the High School parking lot too”
shares Cureton. This year’s theme “HELL ON HEELS” will feature
businesses along the drive in a storefront decoration contest voting will take
place online beginning on Wednesday, October 24th and lasting until
Halloween Night; music by G.I.R.L. (GayInternetRadioLive.com); Mistress
of the Dark – Misty Eyez as hostess/emcee; entertainment by local
artists; street food vendors, bars and Halloween themed booths and souvenir
items for sale, including the official event T-shirt. Event T-shirts will be on
sale in advance at area businesses and the website. The evening will include a
Lord and Lady of Wicked Manors contest. Participants must submit an
application and headshot by visiting the website at www.wickedmanors.com
by Tuesday, October 23rd and voting will begin on Wednesday, October
24th lasting until Halloween Night. The Lord and Lady applicants will
preside over the evening’s event – the person who gets the most votes will be
announced the winner (votes cost $1.00). All winners will receive fabulous cash
and prizes. Other contests that evening include a Pet Costume and Pet/Owner
Look-a-like Contest; a Tattoo and Body Art Contest; a Celebrity
Look-a-like Contest; a fierce WALK OFF Contest called “Drag on the Drive”;
and a Costume Contest with Scariest and Overall Best Costumes. Thousands
of dollars in Cash and Prizes will be awarded. For information on how you can
purchase a vendor space or be an event sponsor, contact Bobby Kyser at
(954) FLOWERS (356-9377). Volunteers interested in helping with the event
will receive a free T-shirt and should contact Nicole at the GLCC at
954-463-9005 or nicole@glccsf.org. For
more information, use this link, Wicked Manors
Block Party Hell On Heels
GLCC Celebrates “You!”
The Gay and Lesbian
Community Center of South Florida
(GLCC) proudly announces a celebration of “YOU!” honoring all volunteers, both
past and present, with a fantastic event in your honor. The appreciation event
will be held at the beautiful home of GLCC Founder Circle Member, Michael Trost on Wednesday, October 24th
from 6-8 pm. The event has been aptly named “YOU!”
to recognize and thank each and every one of these remarkable people who
contribute so much. "The GLCC is grateful beyond words for all of our
volunteers, from our Board of Directors and HIV testing program volunteers, to
over 40 volunteers that staff our switchboard - we simply could not operate
without YOU," reported Nicole Martin,
Operations Manager, GLCC. "At the national equivalent rate of pay for
volunteers of $18.77 per hour, our volunteer program is valued at over $500,000
annually. This is a very significant donation of time from each and every one
of YOU!,” adds Martin.
All About Food Catering
has graciously donated a fantastic buffet, and Crown Wine & Spirits, along with Boardwalk Bar, will generously be providing liquor and other beverages with a
complimentary bar. “It is promised to be a night filled with good people,
fun, and is a cherished opportunity for your GLCC to thank “YOU,” our
volunteers, and the community” shares Paul Hyman,
Executive Director, GLCC. Volunteers and their guests, Board members past and
present, and the press are invited to attend. They ask that everyone RSVP by
October 22nd to
nicole@glccsf.org or 954-463-9005.
For more information about volunteering at the GLCC please visit our website at
www.glccsf.org.
Sidelines Sports Bar Repeats As
“Best Of Gay South Florida”
For the
second year in a row, Sidelines Sports Bar was selected as one of the “Best
Of Gay South Florida” businesses by Express Gay News’South Florida edition. This year’s distinction doubled to two awards,
the “Most Friendly Bar”, as chosen by the editors of Express Gay News
and the “Best Happy Hour”, the readers’ choice. “Best of Gay South
Florida 2007”, an annual online survey conducted by Express Gay News,
asked its readers and editors to select the best of South Florida’s gay dining
venues, nightlife, the arts, people, retailers, and community organizations.
Among the many respondents, an overwhelming percentage singled out Sidelines
Sports Bar in not one, but two separate categories. The owners of Sidelines are
both proud and grateful for this honor and wish to thank the readers of
Express Gay News and the gay community for their continued support and
patronage. “We are thrilled that Sidelines Sports Bar fulfills a niche in
this community and are amazed as to its success after only eighteen month”,
stated Laurie Whittaker, co-owner of Sidelines Sports Bar. “We vow to
continue to provide our customers with a comfortable, relaxed and fun place to
enjoy themselves.”
Sidelines Sports Bar, with its 16 flat-screen TVs, 3 pool tables, 3 dartboards,
and other video games, continues to provide a fun, friendly and comfortable
environment for gay men and women who enjoy all kinds of sports. Sidelines
Sports Bar is located at 2031-A Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Florida, 33305.
Their telephone number is (954) 563-8001
or you can also visit them online at
www.sidelinessports.com.
Equal Employment and Fair Housing Ordinances to Prohibit Discrimination Based
on Gender Identity
The
Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners and
the Gainesville City Commission are currently in the process of amending
their equal employment and fair housing ordinances to prohibit discrimination
based on gender identity. Efforts are also under way in Broward and Pinellas
Counties to convince elected officials there to do the same. Enacting
prohibitions against discrimination based on gender identity became a
legislative priority for Florida civil rights activists after the Largo City
Commission fired its city manager last spring after 14 years on the job. The
action was taken after the St. Petersburg Timesrevealed the city manager intended to transition from male to female. "What
happened in Largo could happen to any of the transgender people living and
working in Florida," warned Hoch. More than 230 major corporations have
established policies prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity. "In
the 2007 legislative session, Senator Deutch and Representative Skidmore
introduced bills to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation,"
said Hoch. "However, since insurance and taxes were at the forefront of the
legislative agenda, the bills did not move forward." In the last legislative
session, Senator Dave Aronberg (D-Greenacres) and Representatives Mary
Brandenburg (D-West Palm Beach), Susan Bucher (D-West Palm Beach),
Faye Culp (R-Tampa), Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota), Richard Machek
(D-Boca Raton), Ari Porth (D-Coral Springs), Scott Randolph
(D-Orlando), Elaine Schwartz (D-Hollywood), Priscilla Taylor
(D-West Palm Beach), Shelley Vana (D-West Palm Beach) and Jim Waldman
(D-Coconut Creek) co-sponsored the Deutch-Skidmore civil rights bills.
Since no action was taken by the legislature, Governor Charlie Crist
never went on the record concerning amending Florida's anti-discrimination laws.
Even so, some activists are optimistic. "Governor Crist has been a leader on
civil rights throughout his career," said Council Vice President Deidre
Newton. "We hope he will consider this an issue of fundamental fairness." Earlier
this year, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council asked Governor Crist to
issue an executive order prohibiting discrimination in state employment based on
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity, familial status, or marital status. However, no
action has yet been taken on the Council's request. Across the nation, thirteen
states (California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico,
Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington) and the District of Columbia have
enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on both sexual orientation and
gender identity. Seven more states (Connecticut, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York and Wisconsin)
have laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.
U.K. Pop Superstar
Darren Hayes to Perform at White Party Miami
Most
Americans know the bullet points of Darren Hayes' pop career. They begin
with two words:
SavageGarden.
As the lead voice and co-songwriter of those two massive Billboard Number One
singles 'Truly Madly Deeply' and 'I Knew I Loved You' he enjoyed
global sales of over 25 million records. After just two multi platinum hit
albums, his band SavageGarden
parted ways and Darren decided to do his own thing. This included two solo
albums, the first being 2002's Poptastic 2 million selling UK and
Australian top 5 album Spin. His 2nd solo album, a deep, dark
and broodingly electronic confessional The Tension and the Spark featured
collaborations with experimental programmers Robert Conley, the renowned
Marius De Vries (Rufus Wainwright, Bjork) and mixes by Mark 'Spike'
Stent (Madonna, Mirwais, Massive Attack). He spent 2 years touring the U.K,
Australia and Asia with variations of a stage show created with long time U2
show designer Willie Williams (U2, Rolling Stones, We Will Rock You).
In fact last summer he played to over 30 thousand Brits and triumphantly filmed
two sold out and stunningly reviewed shows at Australia's prestigious Sydney
Opera House. Darren will be a special guest star in
the Macy's Cloud Nine Casino at the Villa Vizcaya on Saturday,
November 24th and will be performing at 9:30 pm. This is Darren's re-emergence into the U.S. market after
a six year absence and Care Resource and The White Party are especially proud
that he has picked the White Party at Vizcaya to do his re-launch in the United
States. That same evening International Superstar Cyndi Lauper will be
performing on the main stage.
Featured Events
Bill’s Grand
Opening
The Grand Opening of the latest addition to the Wilton Manors
scene, Bill’s Filling Station, is this weekend, Friday October 19th
& Saturday 20th and will include performances by Cashetta and
Sean Ensign. According to Jackson Padgett, “Bill’s is growing up.”
All of the memorabilia from the location on 13th street has
made the move, including the old time gas pump, license plates and photos.
There’ll still be pool tables, a few more dart boards and plasma TVs all over
the place. Drink prices stay the same, everyone is welcome and the parking is
always free. So what’s changing? Well, a popular painting from the old
location depicting cowboys at a marble bar has been digitally captured and blown
up to cover an entire wall. There will be a live VJ and the videos will be
displayed on a “tower of power” similar to the center bar in Hard Rock's Casino.
Patrons will be served from three bars inside, with one serving high end
Cognac’s, wines and other upscale liquors. Also look for a small dance floor,
special events stage, banquettes made out of car seats, the return of finger
foods, and even a photo booth where you can capture your good times, or snap a
quick photo with that “friend” you just met. The interior was designed by
Yamir Studio, another recent addition to Wilton Drive. “We want it to be
sexy, fun and exciting and at the same time respect the tradition of Bill’s”,
said Jackson. When asked if we could sneak a photo of the construction the
answer was, “We’d like everyone to be completely surprised.” And after
seeing the soft opening this past monday, I assure you; this is going to be one
fantastic addition to the drive.
Victor Zepka and Gary Santis Annual Miss Florida
Contest
Believe
it or not the time has flown by and the annual Miss Florida and Miss Florida at
Large pageants will be held on Sunday October 21st and Monday October 22
at 8pm both daysat the beautiful DeauvilleBeach Resort.
This year celebrates the 35 Anniversary
of the world’s longest running and most prestigious Female Impersonation Pageant
in the entire country. Many contestants from around the state of Florida will
arrive on Miami Beach to compete for the coveted Crown to be relinquished by
Female Impersonators Miss Florida 2005 Ft. Lauderdale’s own Champagne
Bordeaux, and Miss Florida At Large 2005 Sasha Summers. You won’t
believe your eyes as these beautiful female impersonators take the stage for
this lavish grand finale to the 2007 pageant season for both Miss Florida and
Miss Florida At Large. The contestants will be judged on Evening gowns, Talent,
Q&A and the Swimsuit competition is always the crowd’s favorite. The competition
will be very exciting. Over 20 former pageant winners will be present, one of
which will be the incredibly talented Nikki Addams (1981), celebrating
her 25th year anniversary! This is the most anticipated event of the
year so please make your reservations to ensure good seats! The Deauville
Beach Resort is offering an exclusive pageant rate starting at $99.00 a
night! To make reservations please call Victor Zepka at305-502-6000.
Upcoming Events
Starting
Wednesday October 17thMale
Entertainment Network presents “Menesday”
every Wednesday at Torpedo. Doors open at 8pm and they will feature dancers all night long, with a
frozen boxer contest at 10pm
for the dancers and at midnight for the customers with
cash prizes. They are featuring VIP rooms, Lap Dances and bottle service. On Opening night
they will also be celebrating bartender Roberto’s
Birthday.
The
Center for Positive Connections' Inaugural Awards Dinner Galawill take place on
October 18 from 6:00 - 10:00 P.M. Silent Auction 6:00 - 9:00 P.M.;
Cocktail Reception 6:00 - 7:00 P.M.; Dinner & Awards 7:00 - 10:00 P.M. at the
Miami Shores Country Club, 10000 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami Shores. Tickets
are $125.00 per person; and $1,250.00 per table with Sponsorships still
available. Reserve your space now atwww.blacktie-southflorida/rsvp and
enter Event Code: tcpcgala07 or call 305-992-4478. Admission includes Dinner,
Auction, open bar, entertainment and complimentary valet parking. All proceeds
benefit The Center for Positive Connections. Donations are deductible to the
extent allowed by law. Their Mission is
to provide educational, emotional, social and holistic support to those infected
and affected by chronic illness, with a special emphasis on HIV and AIDS
Links to
ads from our bar and nightclub supporters
Mark's List presents
the best of Florida in a weekly
LGBT Top Ten List. Categories
include everything from best pizza and
LGBT movies to hottest bartenders and
Go-Go dancers. So check out our
Book of Tens and find the best of
the best.
Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce:
Monthly Business Networker (please note new day) takes place on
Thursday, October 18th, at Chamber Member - The Setai, 2001
Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 305/520-6000, from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Enjoy
hors d'oeuvres and a drink special that evening. There is parking available
north of the Setai or on side streets around the hotel. They will raffle
2 round trip airline tickets to Puerto Vallarta courtesy Aero Mexico.For
more information contact: 305/573-4000. Admission is free for Chamber Members;
potential members $10.
On Friday October 19thEvolution
at Score
presents NYC’s own
DJ Eddie Baez
in the main room and DJ Ruben
in the Crème Lounge. Then on Saturday
the 20thSiren in the
Crème Lounge presents Guest DJ and Miss M.
On
Friday October 19th,Noche Latina Fridays presents 3 big
events. It will be the final appearance of Champagne Bordeaux as Miss
Florida 2005, a big birthday bash for the one and only Angel
Infiniti, and an extended show as a benefit for Alyssa to raise some
money to send her to Miss Florida. The
Show will star Erika Norell, Alyssa Kartiar, ChampagneBordeaux,
and many guests
including Amanda West and Jose Navarro. In the Main Room DJ
Lannier will be spinning the hottest mix of Salsa, Merengue, Raggaeton and
Latin sounds and in the video lounge DJ Oliver will be spinning Brazilian
favorites accompanied by his famous videos. Doors open at 9pm, and they feature
FREE DRINKS
from 9 till 11pm,
FREE Parking
for over 500 carsand the Hottest Latin Go Go Papi’s from 11pm till close. Noche
Latina Fridays is now held at Steel Multiplex Nightclub which is
located at 1951 NW 9th Avenue (powerline).
For more information go to
www.nochelatinafridays.com
Books & Books,
the locally-owned, independent bookstore founded by Mitchell Kaplan in 1982, will
celebrate its 25th Anniversaryin October. The
store has designated the month of October as its anniversary month and has
planned a number of events to mark the occasion, including a community-wide
Anniversary Party on
Saturday, October 20, from
7-midnight, a tribute to South Florida-based music legend
Federico Britos, and
a commemorative publication,
Twenty-Five, which will be posted online, with thoughts and
reflections from authors, publishers, customers, and cultural partners.
Danceteria
Saturdays at
Steel presents DJ Michael Tank on Saturday October 20th
with $3.50 well and Domestic and a $10 Beer Bust all night long.
On
Saturday October 20, the Coliseum presents DJ Angelo
Kortez, and the start of “Open Stage Drag” (bring a number an get on
stage) in the White Room hosted by Mizz Cori and starring Glitz
Glamour and TP Lords, with DJ’s T-Promix and Laritza..
Congregation Etz Chaim,
a South Florida Synagogue for GLBT Jews and their friends, will hold its annual
Family Picnic on Sunday, October 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. As in
previous years, the Picnic will be held in Pavilion 6 at T-Y Park,
located on North Park Road
and Sheridan Street, West of I-95, in Hollywood. A donation of $20 per adult or
$10 per child covers a variety of picnic food, soft drinks, games, activities,
fun and fellowship. (The Park also charges $1 for person upon admission.)
Reservations are required and should be e-mailed in to
jessemonteagudo@aol.com (Subject Line:
Picnic) or phoned in to 954-424-8449, ext. 3. Congregation Etz Chaim is located
at 1881 N.E. 26 Street, in Wilton Manors. Regular Services are held on Friday
nights at 8:30 p.m.
The
Stonewall Library and Archives’ Book Club
will hold its next meeting on Thursday, October 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Moderator Jesse Monteagudo (“The Book Nook”) will lead a discussion of “Man
in the Middle,” former NBA star John Amaechi’s provocative and
inspiring autobiography. Membership in the Stonewall Library Book Club is free
and Club meetings are open to the public. The Stonewall Library and Archives is
located at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida, 1717
North Andrews Avenue, in Fort Lauderdale. For more information phone SLA at
(954) 763-8565.
The Wait is over! One of the greatest
men’s magazine in the world is coming to Fort Lauderdale
at Torpedo
nightclub. World
renowned COLT
Magazine is coming to Torpedo on October 26 for an after hours party that will not soon be forgotten. COLT
Magazine is sending supermodel Luke Garrett for a live performance at 3am. He’ll be handing out COLT
Wristwatches, Calendar’s, DVD’s,
and T-shirts, absolutely free to all Torpedo guests.
Next "Tea Cruise" takes place on Sunday, November 4th,
and all tickets are 2-4-1 w/ reservation by Wednesday, October 10th.
To purchase tickets, or for ore info calll 954-649-1107.
Good news the Coast Guard has approved the newly renovated Musette Yacht
for sailing. The newly renovated "Musette" is now three stories with a salon and
observation deck. Now all in white with decorative trim, suggested dress is
"Sailors in White.” Welcome aboard to another special guest D.J., the fabulous
Nikki Adams, their favorite dancers and some new dancing hosts. Chef
Sherry is planning a special welcome back menu for this grand return to the
"Musette."
The 12th
Annual Halloween Ball, benefiting SAVE Foundation, Saturday, October 27th at The
Moore Building, Miami Design District, 4040 NE 2nd Avenue. Doors open 9:00 P.M.
- 3:00 A.M. Tickets: $35.00 in advance - $45.00 at the door. 21 and over
please! VIP tickets: $100.00 for SAVE guardians;
$125.00 in advance; $150.00 at the door. Exclusive VIP Bamboo Garden includes:
Open bar all night, hor d'oeuvres and priority entrance. To purchase tickets
please visit: www.savedade.org. for more information please call: 305-751-SAVE.
Costumes are encouraged!
The Legendary Black Banana is
Coming to Fort Lauderdale
We aren’t sure if you have been hearing the buzz about the Black
Banana club coming to Fort Lauderdale,
but I got the inside scoop on what this excitement is all about. Owner, AJ
Cross, whom most of you probably know best from his days at the legendary
Cupids Cabaret in West Palm Beach, in conjunction with Express
Entertainment, LLC, has purchased the location
formerly known as Manhattan South, located on the border of Fort
Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. The building has been completely gutted out and
any of you that may have been to Manhattan South would never recognize this new
space soon to inhabit The Black Banana. What is The Black Banana? The
Black Banana was a legendary club from the late 70’s, located in Philadelphia,
made famous not only as an exclusively minority based night club and lounge, or
by the many famous people that performed there, but more importantly because of
the hundreds of gay minority artists that were able to receive or continue their
education through grants awarded by the clubs owner Gary Melmick. The
club was burned down in a hate crimes related incident in the mid 80’s and was
inducted into the GLCC Hall of Fame, as well as the building, after being
rebuilt deemed a historical landmark in Pennsylvania. AJ Cross after many months
of negotiations and the commitment to bring the legendary club to the South
Florida market purchased the rights to the name, brand, logo and gay minority
artists fund which he stated was the most fantastic piece of this
whole
project. The Black Banana will be unique, from the cascading waterfall at the
entrance, to the plasma dance floor, state of the art lighting visual effects
and sound, and a virtual museum of local gay minority artwork all throughout the
urban environment. One of the things you will notice first when you arrive at
The Black Banana to be located at 6890 Powerline Road, will be the Valet
Parking, available to everyone. As you enter the club you will be greeted
by a professional and courteous Security Staff and you will be surprised that
you NEVER PAY A COVER…instead you will pay a DONATION. The Black Banana will
take 12% of its annual revenue and award grants to gay minority artists to
continue the legacy of the original club. AJ, as many of you know is extremely
well known for his generosity and being community minded, and The Black
Banana Gay Minority Artists Fund, (BBGMAF) has a board comprised of
investors, South Florida elite and community leaders, that will review grant
submissions by gay minority artists and award grants for education. The Black
Banana will be a venue for anyone who enjoys Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz and Rhythm &
Blues Music. The Black Banana will provide employment opportunities for
minorities in the South Florida whom often times are not given the same
opportunities elsewhere. Many charity events showcasing minority based artwork
will be hosted at the club to raise money for the BBGMAF, as well as quarterly
concerts with well-known recording artists and local bands. The interior of the
club was designed to mimic a New York City alley, infused with the same lofty
feeling of some of the most historical buildings in New York. The VIP Lounge,
exclusively for VIP
PASS holders, showcases a private restroom, 42” Plasma Screen, Butler Service
and a lavish design and is also enclosed unlike many other VIP
areas in clubs in South Florida, to ensure privacy. VIP Passes are actually
being sold through a jumponmarkslist.com sponsorship in which you will be able
to download and print a coupon taking off $500 for the annual pass, but here is
what VIP Pass holder are getting. FREE VALET, FREE
ACCESS to VIP Lounge, Pre-concert/Live Event VIP
Party,
Recording Artists Meet & Greets, and the most amazing benefit to being a
Black Banana VIP is that you NEVER PAY FOR
DRINKS…(bottle service not included) all of that for an astounding $1,000
for the year. WHY so much for so little? The VIP Members will
be the core of the success of The Black Banana because they will help to share
the message of how important this club will be to the community and the 50% of
the money raised from the sale of VIP
passes will be immediately deposited into The Black Banana Minority Artist
fund. Keep checking here for more information the legendary Black Banana.
Chip Arndt,
who won CBS’s “Amazing Race 4”” with then-husband
Reichen Lehmkuhl, has teamed up with Hollywood creative minds Luis Iga,
Jorge Valdés-Iga, Eric Levine, Kyle Alvarez and Good-Cop Bad-Cop
Productions to reach out to the YouTube Generation to raise awareness
– and money – for people living with HIV/AIDS. The collaboration has resulted
in the production of a music video, which has become part of Chip’s Personal
Response to AIDS Across America (CPR to AAA), which may be found at
www.myspace.com/chiparndt. The goal of
CPR to AAA is to raise $100,000 by December 1, 2007 for nine
nonprofit organizations that help persons living with HIV/AIDS. Arndt
completed his second AIDS ride, from Gettysburg, Virginia to New York City, on
September 30, and appeared as the Grand Marshal of the Washington,
DC AIDS Walk on October 6. He completed another AIDS walk and ride in Florida
earlier this year. Arndt has dedicated his time to entrepreneurship and charity
since his appearance on “The Amazing Race.” “There are 1.2 - 2
million Americans living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. My goal with this campaign is to assist organizations helping people
with HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness among the youth,”
says Arndt. “All donations are 100% tax deductible. The idea for the video
came out of a collaborative effort when Luis and Jorge approached me and pitched
it as a way to reach the younger generation.” Creative Director Luis Iga and
Director Jorge Valdés-Iga learned about the campaign on the web at Arndt’s
MySpace page,
www.myspace.com/chiparndt . “When
we read about this great cause, we instantly had the idea to create an
anti-viral viral video to raise youth awareness about HIV/AIDS. Naturally, we
figured that the best forum in which to do so was YouTube,” says Iga.
Despite the serious nature of CPR to AAA, the music video uses humor to appeal
to its target audience. Frequent visitors to the popular video sharing website
may recognize imitations of their favorite YouTube celebrities. “The idea was
to impersonate the YouTube celebrities and to take advantage of their popularity
to help spread the message and give a sense of humor to the video,” says
Valdés-Iga. The video debuted on YouTube one week ago, at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG6RgVlk2b4. To learn more about Arndt’s
campaign, or to make a donation, please visit
http://www.myspace.com/chiparndt, or email Arndt at
cpraaa@chiparndt.com.
Florida Department of Financial Services ("DFS") Employees can Use Sick Leave to
Care for their Domestic Partners
Florida's Chief
Financial Officer Alex Sink has implemented a policy allowing Florida
Department of Financial Services ("DFS")
employees to use sick leave to care for their domestic partners. DFS currently
employs 2,560 Floridians. As stated in the DFS employee handbook, which will be
distributed to new employees on October 16, the department's sick leave policy
was revised "to be responsive to the changing needs of society, and to treat
all persons fairly and equitably." Sink's policy change was initiated at the
request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, a non-profit
organization that has been in the forefront of domestic partnership issues in
Florida. On the day Sink was sworn into office last January, a letter from
Council President Rand Hoch was hand-delivered to James Cassady,
Sink's Chief of Staff. In the letter, Hoch asked Sink to consider granting DFS
employees with domestic partners the same family benefits as married employees.
DFS staff began working on the Council's request last April. "CFO Sink's
pro-family policy recognizing domestic partners is a significant first step for
Florida," said Hoch. “Hopefully, Governor Crist will direct
Department of Management Services Secretary Linda South to investigate the
possibility of offering domestic partner benefits to all state employees.”
Currently, the University of Florida, Florida International University, Broward Community College,
Florida Keys Community College, Hillsborough
Community College and Miami-Dade College are the only state employers offering
the full range of domestic partner benefits. Those benefits include health
insurance, as well as sick leave and bereavement leave. "In light of CFO
Sink's new policy, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council will soon ask
Attorney General Bill McCollum and Agriculture and Consumer Services
Commissioner Charles Bronson to revise their sick leave policies to allow
employees with domestic partners the same benefit as they offered to married
employees," said Hoch.
Bowling
Social at Manor Lanes
Next Friday,
October 19th,
is the 7th bowling social at Manor Lanes, in Wilton Manors benefiting
Shadowood II, Inc. The event begins at 9:30 and costs $20 which allows you
to bowl all night. At the last event Manor Lanes agreed to donate $8 per
person directly to Shadowood II. Which raised raised $900, just $100 shy of
their goal of $1000. Considering the rainy weather that night, it was a great
success over 60 people turned out in support.
Health Care District of Palm Beach County Votes to Insure Domestic Partners
This past week, the Health Care
District of Palm Beach County voted to insure the
domestic partners of its employees. Commissioners Effie
Grear, Richard Machek and Jonathan
Satter voted if favor of adding the benefits.
Commissioners David
Goodlett
and Stanley
Pierce voted against."Despite
the close vote, it is encouraging that one more public employer in Palm Beach
County has taken steps to recognize domestic partners as members of their
employees' families," said Rand Hoch,
President of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. Other public employers
in Palm Beach County offering domestic partner health insurance include the
Palm
Beach County Board of County Commissioners, the School District of Palm Beach
County, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the Office of the Clerk and
Comptroller, the Office of the Property Appraiser, the Office of the Supervisor
of Elections, the Office of the Tax Collector, the Port of Palm Beach,
Palm-Tran, the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority, the Cities of Delray
Beach, Lake Worth and West Palm Beach, and the Town of Jupiter.
In November 2006, the Council sent Health Care District Commissioners a
comprehensive report on domestic partner benefits. After a year of
consideration, Heath Care District Commissioners brought the issue to a vote at
their October 10 meeting. While much of the debate focused on cost, ultimately,
a majority voted to provide the benefits despite the increase cost to the Health
Care District. Commissioner Satter, the leading proponent of adding the benefits
told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel,
"This is the agency where one of its largest missions is to make sure
everyone has coverage. Everyone should be entitled to health insurance, if it's
appropriate, and I believe it's appropriate."
20th Anniversary of the AIDS Memorial
Quilt
2007
marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of The AIDS Memorial Quilt,
and to honor this occasion in observance of World AIDS Day 100 % of the
47,000 panels which equal 6,000 12 ft. by 12 ft. sections will be blanketing the
country with love, understanding, and compassion. When the NAMES Project South
Florida chapter announced its plans to host a display of 80 12 x 12 sections of
the AIDS Memorial Quilt at Hagen Park on December 1st, they
were inundated by requests from South Florida panel makers. Many people had not
seen their loved ones panels since they made them and they were overjoyed at the
opportunity to bring a portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt home. Given the
enormity of the circulation of Quilt this year we found it very difficult if
almost impossible to be able to fulfill these requests. As panel makers they
know how much it means to be able to view and remember those we held dear to our
hearts. They have made the decision to postpone the display and although this
was not an easy decision it gives us the opportunity to make the majority of
those requests possible. The display will take place during Pride on
April 12 & 13th 2008. They invite your participation, to request
a panel, assist with the display or make a panel for a loved one please e-mail
Panels123@aol.com or call the South
Florida chapter at 954-599-7782.
The
Naked Grape Wine Bar is pleased to welcome Oscar to the Naked Grape Wine Bar.
Oscar comes to us from the former VincentRestaurant.
He is pleased to join the Naked Grape family. Oscar comes to us with a love and
knowledge of wine. He will be working behind the bar a couple nights a week. We
hope that you will stop in soon and meet Oscar and welcome him cordially to The
Naked Grape. In addition, Oscar is an artist, so we will be featuring some of
his original works of art at the first Wilton Drive Art Walk of the season on Friday, October 19. As you stroll the Drive this Friday, make it a
point to stop in at The Naked Grape Wine Bar and have a glass of your favorite
vintage or microbrew and enjoy the vibrant colors of Oscar's beautiful
paintings.
Remember to Be
safe, Play safe and Party safe, and e-mail me all the news
that’s fit to print (& some that’s not) to
Outwithscott@aol.com
"If one advances
confidently in the direction of his dreams, and
endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he
will meet with a success unexpected in common
hours." -
Thoreau