Metrosource National - OCT/NOV 2020

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you

have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby.

Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed.

Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

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.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-

counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information

about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine,

visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP CREATING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved.

BVYC0197 03/20

CHAD LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP CREATING.

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

See Chad’s story at BIKTARVY.com.

Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

LIVE IN GRATITUDE

A SEASON TO GIVE THANKS

NOW THAT AUTUMN IS UPON US AND SUMMER ONLY A MEMORY, we can look forward to the leaves falling, weather cooling and days shortening. This new season brings with it the thoughts of pumpkins, hot cider, warm scarves, and of course Halloween and Thanksgiving. In 2020 style, this season and its holidays will continue to include the necessities of health and safety - social distancing, not gathering in large groups, and practicing good personal hygiene. But these necessities do not, and should not, prohibit you from sharing what it is you are thankful for. While the world has been impacted in ways we

VIEWS

EDITOR’S LETTER

could have never imagined, this is the season to cast away the negativity and focus on the positive.

PUBLISHER Bent Share Entertainment, LLC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Westman CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cesar A Reyes MARKETING DIRECTOR Christopher Jackson GRAPHIC DESIGNER Steven Garcia FEATURE WRITER Alexander Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Steve Gottfried

Jeffrey James Keyes Eric Rosen Megan Venzin Michael Westman

Part of our family Thanksgiving tradition - other than the turkey, of course - is joining hands around the table, and sharing what it is that each of us are thankful for. This year, we will not be joining hands, but we will still be speaking our gratitude. I challenge you all to list at least 10 things that you are thankful for this year. Try it! It will get the positive energy flowing and put you in a good mood. Here is my list: • I am thankful to work with the Metrosource team of people, all willing to charge forward even amid challenges.

• I am thankful for my home, and all that makes it more than shelter above my head – namely the love that resides there.

• I am thankful for my pets and the comfort they bring me, indoors and out.

• I am thankful for the all the extra moments spent together with my family via phone, video, and in-person, including the reconnections made through social media.

• I am thankful for the freedom to vote and voice my opinion in municipal, county, state, and national elections.

• I am thankful for first responders, restaurant, and retail workers, who signed up for hazardous duty, so the rest of us could function.

• I am thankful for the sounds of birds outside my window.

• I am thankful for morning walks. The fresh morning air and quiet enable me to process my thoughts and keep healthy.

• I am thankful for streaming services and the ability to make some popcorn and watch a good movie at home.

• I am thankful to be alive and healthy.

My friend Kim Stanwood Terranova, dubbed the chiropractor of the mind, discusses gratitude in her new book The Technology of Intention. “Each day we get to be appreciative of the very blessing of being alive, for being able to take our next breath. Just the opportunity we have to remember that we have a body and we are present in this existence; this alone is so much more than enough to be grateful for…. There is always good waiting for us, yet we are oblivious to it if we are not living in a space of gratitude for all that we already have.”

Live in gratitude. Create your own atmosphere. Expand your heart.

NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Rivendell Media 212.242.6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Bent Share Entertainment, LLC 6475 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., #438 Long Beach, CA 90803 800-818-0480 Subscriptions: One year (6 issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95.

Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. ©2020 Bent Share Entertainment, LLC. Advertisers in Metrosource acknowledge that they do business in the spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for same as advertised. Metrosource assumes no responsibility or liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. The appearance of any person, model, business or organization in this publication, by name, advertisement or photograph is not an indication of sexual orientation.

Advertisers and their agencies assume all responsibility and legal liability for the content of their advertisements in Metrosource. Publisher assumes no liability for safe-keeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials.

Metrosource reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content.

All contents are copyright Bent Share Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved.

Content may only be reproduced with written permission from Bent Share Entertainment, LLC. Metrosource assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine and reserve the right to cancel or refuse advertising at publisher’s discretion.

@metrosource @metrosource @metrosourcemag

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THIS PAGE: MICHELLE VISAGE PHOTO BY KATWILSON CRUZ PHOTO BY AMY BROWNSTEIN • JONATHAN DEL ARCO PHOTO COURTESY BY VIACOMCBS • PHOTO COURTESY OF HARVEY GUILLEN - FACEBOOK.COM/HARVEY.GUILLEN.3 • PHOTO COURTESY OF SETH SIKES - FACEBOOK.COM/SETHSIKES

October/November 2020 | VOLUME 31, NO. 5

CONTENTS

19 19 JONATHAN DEL ARCO

24

THE BORG AND THE BEAUTIFUL

24 WILSON CRUZ TAKING STAR TREK:DISCOVERY INTO THE LGTBQ FRONTIER

34 SETH SIKES THIS BROADWAY BABY IS HAVING A MOMENT

36 A PARTY WITH PRECAUTIONS REVIVING THE LIVE EVENTS INDUSTRY

38 HARVEY GUILLEN COMES OUT OF THE SHADOWS

38

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ON THE COVER: photo by Amy Brownstein METROSOURCE.COM

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

5

DEPARTMENTS

October/November 2020 | VOLUME 31, NO. 5

14 46 CULTURE 7 THE SCOPE Patrick Dempsey is Back on CW Devils

12 FOOD & WINE Cakebread Cellars Pairing Special Wines with Fresh Ingredients

14 HOME HGTV and Orlando Soria are Building You Up

42 43 6

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46 PARTY WITH PRECAUTIONS Reviving the Live Events Industry

BODY 42 HEALTH Beard Care 2020 Products to Make Your Beard More BILF (Beards I’d Like to Fondle)

43 HEALTH Get Board, Not Bored It’s Board Game Season

VIEWS 4 EDITOR’S LETTER Live in Gratitude A season to give thanks

THIS PAGE: PHOTO COURTESY OF ORLANDO SORIA - FACEBOOK.COM/ORLANDOSORIADECOR/ • PHOTO COURTESY OF CCAKEBREAD CELLARS • PHOTO COURTESY OF IN MY ELEMENTS

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CULTURE

THESCOPE

CURATED BY MICHAEL WESTMAN

THIS PAGE: PATRICK DEMPSEY AND ALESSANDRO BORGHI PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CW

WATCH

DEVILS

PREMIERES ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 8:00 PM ET ON THE CW

PATRICK DEMPSEY, BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS TELEVISION NEUROSURGEON DEREK “MCDREAMY” Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy, brings his steamy good

looks back to television with this intelligent financial thriller on The CW. DEVILS, starring Patrick Dempsey and Alessandro Borghi, is based on the novel I Diavoli by Guido Maria Brera, and follows Massimo Ruggero (Alessandro Borghi, “The First King: Birth of an Empire,” “Suburra”), the charismatic yet ruthless Head of Trading at NYL, one of the world’s most important investment banks, and his mentor, NYL’s CEO Dominic Morgan (Patrick Dempsey, “The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair”).

After Dominic appoints another colleague over Massimo following a bitter promotion battle, Massimo finds himself named prime suspect in a murder investigation. Fighting to clear his name, Massimo becomes

involved in an intercontinental financial war and is forced to choose between supporting Dominic or going up against him.

The series also stars Laia Costa (“Victoria,” “Newness”), Kasia Smutniak (“Loro,” “Perfetti Sconosciuti”), Lars Mikkelsen (“The Killing,” “Sherlock”), Malachi Kirby (“Roots”), Paul Chowdhry (“Live at the Apollo,” “Swinging with the Finkels”), Pia Mechler (“Everything Is Wonderful”), Harry Michell (“Chubby Funny”) and Sallie Harmsen (“Blade Runner 2049”).

Devils is set to air Wednesdays at 8:00 pm on The CW this fall, alongside another international acquisition, the Canadian series The Coroner.

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

7

WATCH

DRAG RACE HOLLAND

DUTCH VERSION OF THE SMASH-HIT FORMAT WILL BE EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON RTL’S VIDEOLAND FOR DUTCH audiences and on

SNACK

EASTERN STANDARD PROVISIONS ESPROVISIONS.COM

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OCTOBER AND OKTOBERFEST, you first think about

beer. But perhaps right behind beer are those delicious German-style soft pretzels - and those are precisely what Eastern Standard Provisions Co. specializes in. Made from all-natural ingredients, these heat-and-eat pretzels are available in all shapes and sizes (and gift boxes) and arrive fresh to your door. They also come individually wrapped, which makes them perfect for freezing and enjoying later.

Available nationwide on esprovisions.com, these gourmet pretzels and flavored salts (including Lemon Rosemary, White Truffle, and Chili Lime) have been wowing customers since the brand launched in early 2019 - and in fact their business has grown exponentially even during the pandemic. And when it comes to pairing the pretzels with beer, the Eastern Standard Provisions team owes a lot of its company growth to breweries across New England, which have been selling the pretzels alongside their beer with great success.

Under the guidance of chief product officer and renowned baker, Lauren Moran, Eastern Standard Provisions (after months of tasting, tweaking, and adjusting), perfected a one-of-a-kind gourmet soft pretzel.

The pretzels have the airy qualities of a brioche on the inside and a traditional Bavarian-style crust on the outside. Their pretzels will have you coming back for more!

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THIS PAGE: CHELSEA BOY PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD OF WONDER • PRODUCT PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTERN STANDARD PROVISIONS

CULTURE

THESCOPE

WOW Presents Plus in the US and internationally. The series will feature ten incredible Dutch drag queens who take part in weekly challenges, where the bottom two face-off against each other in a legendary lip-synch battle for a chance to remain in the competition. Announcing the series via a special RuMail video message, RuPaul said; “I am proud to announce that my beloved Drag Race is coming to you... so you better watch!” And with a brand-new host - celebrity stylist and former Holland’s Next Top Model mentor Fred van Leer.

Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder CoFounders said: “We firmly believe in charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent and can’t wait to welcome these 10 talented queens into the Drag Race family. It’s fantastic to work with RTL and Vincent TV on launching a Dutch version of the franchise, but it’s also a privilege to be able to bring this brilliant new series to an international audience too, via our own SVOD Platform WOW Presents Plus. We know fans won’t be disappointed.”

DRINK

ROSÉ ALL DAY

RADWINEPROJECT.COM

THE GLOBAL CATCHPHRASE THAT HAS BECOME A LIFESTYLE FOR ROSÉ LOVERS

THIS PAGE: BOOK COVER PHOTOGRAPHY © 2020 THE VINTAGE WATCH COMPANY • PRODUCT PHOTO COURTESY OF BIAGIO CRU AND ESTATE WINES

IS NOW MORE THAN JUST SOCIAL MEDIA HYPE. A top trending wine

READ

VINTAGE ROLEX:

hashtag, #RoseAllDay has become a social media phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of Rosé lovers sharing their excitement for the wine by posting pictures emulating a trendy, chic lifestyle.

Harvested and bottled in the South of France, the winemakers chose the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France for Rosé All Day because of the area’s increased focus on quality. It shares many of the terrain and climate characteristics with the neighboring regions of Southern Rhone and Provence, however this region offers far greater value.

Summer might be over, but anytime is a good time for Rosé All Day, with three canned options - still, sparkling, and spritz. The still and sparkling are Grenaches with an elegant aromatic nose of watermelon and strawberry and is crisp and fresh on the palate with a deliciously long, fruity finish; the spritz has a splash of grapefruit.

Sold in convenient four-packs for $14.99. So, sit back and enjoy, Rosé All Day.

THE LARGEST COLLECTION IN THE WORLD, BY DAVID SILVER RIZZOLIUSA.COM

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, ROLEX HAS STOOD APART AS THE MOST LEGENDARY BRAND OF WATCH IN THE WORLD. Ever the record

setter—Paul Newman’s Daytona was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million—it should come as no surprise that Rolex is the most coveted brand of vintage watches in the world.

Published to celebrate The Vintage Watch Company’s 25th anniversary, the book contains stunning larger-than-life-sized photographs of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop over those years. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world’s first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas, and jewel-encrusted Crown collections, the unparalleled archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of a brand coveted by collectors the world over.

The Vintage Watch Company, owned by father and son duo, John and David Silver, was established in 1995 and is now based in London’s historic Burlington Arcade. It is dedicated to showcasing vintage Rolex wristwatches from c1910-c1990. Their unparalleled collection carries over 2000 pieces and is the largest collection of Vintage Rolex watches on display in the world. The shop is now a destination for watch collectors and discerning shoppers from around the world.

Hardcover / 9” x 12” / 384 pages / 75 color photographs $100.00 U.S. / $75.00 Canadian METROSOURCE.COM

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

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THESCOPE CULTURE

SWEET TREATS

SUGARWISH SUGARWISH.COM

happiness delivered directly to your door. With gifts starting at $19.98 (shipped), Sugarwish is the ultimate, modern-day gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. Give them the delightful (and delicious) gift that includes a delectable (virtual) candy, popcorn, or cookies shop. They get to choose their favorite treats from tons of scrumptious options. Sugarwish delivers their top picks in a gorgeous gift box, directly to their door.

Looking for a Halloween alternative this year? Text ‘em treats this year! New for Halloween 2020 -- recipients can choose their favorites from a Halloween themed Candy Shoppe with custom Halloween packaging options, making it the sweetest way to Trick-or-Treat without ever leaving the house!

A Sugarwish can be sent via email or almost any App and allows the recipient to take a quick trip to one of several Sugarwish treat shops.

Once their favorites are selected, treats are packed in a beautiful gift box and shipped to the recipient’s door. And, Sugarwish is easy to customize with company logos and colors, and perfect for businesses looking to enhance relationships with clients. Get your sweet treats anytime of year at Sugarwish.com.

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THIS PAGE: PEODUCT PHOTO COURTESY OF SUGARWISH

SUGARWISH IS AN ONLINE GIFTING SITE OF DELICIOUS TREATS TO PROVIDE a bit a

FOOD & WINE HOME

CAKEBREAD CELLARS PAIRING SPECIAL WINES WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS SINCE THE EARLY ‘70S, WHEN JACK AND DELORES CAKEBREAD FIRST BOUGHT LAND IN RUTHERFORD, CALIFORNIA, and planted their first Sauvignon Blanc,

Cakebread has established itself as a forward-looking Napa Valley icon that blends trusted quality and a welcoming spirit into each bottle of wine they produce. Best known for its Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon varietals, the family’s offerings now include 17 wines. Cakebread’s success is built on quality, consistency, and continuity – not only in grapegrowing and winemaking, but in the dedicated people who create Cakebread Cellars’ world-class wines. The winery’s intimate tasting experiences, pioneering culinary programs and sustainable practices (Cakebread Cellars was only the second California winery to achieve Napa Green certification), keep visitors coming back. “Quality and sustainability have been Cakebread cornerstones since our first vintage in 1973. We’re a family winery, and we want to protect the land for future

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METROSOURCE.COM

generations,”says Bruce Cakebread.

Along with best-selling wines, comes fine dining. Developing recipes and preparing meals to highlight Cakebread wines for events hosted at the winery, Cakebread’s Culinary Director, Brian Streeter, is the person in charge. While utilizing the best ingredients Northern California has to offer, Brian draws on the cuisines of the Mediterranean – where food has historically been linked with wine – for inspiration on how to best pair the two. Brian also leads hands-on cooking classes at Cakebread, and spearheads the winery’s annual American Harvest Workshop, a four-day “boot camp” for chefs, sommeliers, press and consumers to interact and increase awareness and appreciation of American viticulture and artisanal food products.

Enjoy these two recipes that Brian has created, and for more culinary pairings and information on Cakebread Cellars, visit www.cakebread.com.

PAGE 12-13: PHOTO COURTESY OF CAKEBREAD CELLARS

BY MICHAEL WESTMAN

GRILLED LOBSTER WITH ROASTED TOMATO-BASIL BUTTER SERVES 2 Ingredients: ½ lb. Early Girl or Roma tomatoes 2 garlic cloves 1 T. olive oil 1 tsp. thyme, picked 2 garlic cloves salt and pepper 8 oz. butter, soft 2 T. fresh basil, roughly chopped ¼ tsp. Pimente de espellette or cayenne 2 lobsters, about 1 ½ lbs each 1 lemon, cut in wedges Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut tomatoes in half. Place cut side up on a sheet pan with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with the olive oil.

Scatter fresh thyme overtop of the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes are shrunken and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel the skins and place in the work bowl of a food processor. Add any juices from the bottom of the pan and squeeze the pulp out from the garlic cloves. Add the butter and pulse and until butter and tomato are incorporated and butter is creamy. Add the basil and pimento and pulse to combine. The recipe makes more than you will need to grill the lobsters. To save the tomato butter, place on the bottom of a piece of plastic wrap, roll into a log and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Use on grilled fish, vegetables, or corn on the cob.

To grill the lobster, place a live lobster on a cutting board. With a heavy knife, cut down the length of the lobster, starting at the head and sever into two. Remove the tomalley from the body cavity.

Remove the claws and knuckle pieces. Grill the claws and knuckle pieces until the shell turns red. Remove from the grill and allow to cool. Crack the shells and remove the meat and set aside. To grill the lobster, brush with the tomato butter on the flesh side. Set on the grill, flesh side down. Cook for a couple minutes to sear the meat.

Turn lobster over, place a piece of claw and knuckle meat into each of the body cavities and brush with the butter. Continue cooking over medium heat until lobster is heated through.

Enjoy with a glass of Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay.

BELGIAN BRAISED BEEF & ONIONS SERVES 6 Ingredients: 3 lbs. beef chuck all-purpose flour 2 large onions, sliced thin 2 T. vegetable oil 1 T. butter 4 oz. bacon, cut and blanched 12 oz. Belgian style beer 2 tsp. thyme, picked 1 bay leaf 2 c. chicken or beef broth 1 T. brown sugar 1 T. red wine vinegar 2 T. flat leaf parsley, chopped Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Season the beef with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour to lightly coat. Heat a wide bottom pan with straight sides over high heat. Add the vegetable oil to the pan and brown the beef on both sides. Remove from the pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the bacon. Cook for a minute or two to render out some of the fat from the bacon. Add the onions and cook stirring occasionally until they are soft and starting to caramelize.

Add the beer to the pan and cook to reduce by half. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen the brown glaze on the bottom of the pan. Return the beef to the pan along with the bay leaf and thyme and pour the chicken or beef broth into the pan to almost cover the meat. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 2 ½ hours until the beef is tender. Remove the beef and add the brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Reduce the braising liquid so that it will lightly coat the beef. Return the beef to the pan and heat to warm through.

Serve with wide ribbon noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Enjoy with a glass of Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

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HGTV AND ORLANDO SORIA ARE BUILDING YOU UP ADDING COLOR AND SASS TO YOUR LIVING SPACE DURING EMOTIONAL TIMES

HOME

DESIGN

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

LET’S FACE IT, BREAKUPS CAN BE DEVASTATING. What is a guy to do when your boyfriend calls it quits, your new job falls through, and you need to find a new place to call home? Take a breath, brush it off, reevaluate and get your own TV show, of course. Not as easy as it sounds, but interior designer and social media personality Orlando Soria did just that. This summer, his show Build Me Up (formally known as Unspouse Your House), premiered its second season in the middle of quarantine adding a bit of color, sass, and hope to our binge-watching schedule. Build Me Up focuses on recreating a living space for people in a life-changing transition, and with most of us stuck at home depressed in our current surroundings, the timing could not be more perfect.

Turning a bad situation into a positive is a current theme that a lot of our community is dealing with right now. This year has certainly brought some unexpected challenges, and constants we thought we could depend on were not really that constant, including jobs and relationships.

My breakup came at a rough time for me. I had just turned 35 and was not expecting it, I was with someone I had expected to marry, and the breakup caught me off guard. And then two weeks after my breakup, just as I had signed an expensive apartment lease, I was laid off my job where I was making decent money. It feels like sometimes when it rains, it pours. I had to really hustle to figure

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out how to replicate my income quickly, and what I learned during that time was that while I had had terrible self-esteem up until then, I was actually really good at figuring things out, taking care of myself, and taking care of other people. I ended up coming out of it so much better than I was before, and for that I am thankful.

My advice for anyone going through a breakup would be that there are no shortcuts. You have to kind of just go through the stages, the mourning process before you can get to the other side. Also, unfollow your ex on social media and block them from your life.

To this day I have no idea what mine is up to, and that has been wildly helpful in realizing how little I needed him in the first place.

The show’s first season focused on individuals going through a divorce, featuring a certain catharsis in literally knocking down walls and rebuilding. This second season, the focus has expanded to an even bigger group of people going through an emotional time.

We wanted to open it up and make it possible to work with people going through all types of life changes, so the series name change to Build Me Up was part of that. What I love about it is that we see so many different stories this season - from a single dad who wanted to make a guest house for his mom to be around her grandkids, to a woman who lost her husband to cancer and is just trying to rebuild.

There are so many stories, happy and sad, that really add to the richness of the home makeover stories we are already telling.

AFTER

QUICK TIP: BEDROOM

BEFORE

PAGE 15-18: BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS BY CHELSEY RIEMANN

Swapping out your bedding can completely change the way your bedroom looks and feels.

In addition to the fun in seeing Orlando reinvent a living space with color, furniture changes, and structure modifications, we get to see him bond with his clients (usually over a glass of wine). As the stories from each episode unfold, we see a friendship that is forged between a gay host and individuals that he might not necessarily come across in everyday life. We share the same stories, the same wants, and sometimes, even the same choice in bad interior decorating (gasp!).

I think generally what I have learned is that everyone’s life story has value, and telling those stories helps other people who may be going through something similar in their own lives. I have a lot of gratitude for the people who came on my show and for their vulnerability in sharing their stories.

(Yes, sometimes wine helps with that.) If you give people your attention, let them share what they have been through, ask questions, and express empathy, you do them a tremendous amount of service by making them feel heard and seen. This is something we should all be doing for each other way more and I want to be a part of that.

HGTV has been my personal companion during quarantine, I love the variety of shows and the diversity in hosts.

We do see a little bit of every community being represented, especially the gay community, both from the hosts and the clients that HGTV has helped. It is done without pomp and circumstance… it’s a matter of fact. And it’s enjoyable. I had to know, though, how working for a network can affect the personal life of a gay man in Los Angeles.

Honestly, before I had a TV show, I always thought there would be some big network executive that came and told you

what you could and could not do. No one ever told me to edit myself, my politics, or my presence on any dating or hookup apps. I am a guy in my thirties with a sexuality, and luckily no one has asked me to pretend otherwise. It is definitely weird though when you get hit up by people on Tinder or something who know who you are, it can make you feel “caught” (especially if they have a blank or limited profile). My advice to anyone who sees a public person on an app and wants to reach out is to: a) don’t have a blank profile, that’s creepy; and b) don’t assume that person knows anything about you. Just because you know a lot about them doesn’t mean they have any understanding or awareness of your existence.

QUICK TIP: GUEST ROOM

Adding small treats like a fresh candle or a little water carafe makes your guest feel welcome and considered.

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DESIGN HOME

AFTER

BEFORE

QUICK TIP: THE HOLIDAYS

Spring for some simple linen runners and napkins. You can use those for any holiday and having nice (non-paper) table linens makes all the difference.

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Orlando works with a series of contractors to help finalize his vision for a property. BUT, my favorite Build Me Up co-star is his wardrobe. I don’t think I saw the same outfit twice, even as he is doing demolition in a pile of dirt. Who knew that slim fit khakis would look so good on a construction site?

I had to get a rolling rack while I was shooting to hold the extra clothes. A lot of my favorite clothes are hand-me-downs from my dad. He had great style in the 80s and 90s. I guess my style is kind of vintage and colorful. Though I will say that for the show I wear a lot of brighter colors than I would in normal life. I used to be a production designer so when I get dressed, I’m often thinking ‘what room am I going to be wearing this in? Do we need a hit of pink in there so the shot isn’t colorless? What will this look like next to the cabinets I just installed?’ I’m often thinking more about what I want the shots to look like than what I want to look like, though obviously, that’s part of it.

To say that Orlando is hands-on on Build Me Up is an understatement. He does not just design the project and let other people do the work. He is rolling up his sleeves, waving the sledgehammer, planting a new lawn, and painting the walls himself, even into the wee hours of the night. Each episode can take a four to six weeks to complete.

The reason you see me doing a lot of the work myself is that our budgets are often extremely tight. And when you have budgets that small, and aspirations that big, usually the only way to make it work is to get to work!

AFTER

Premiering a new show during COVID has its advantages and disadvantages. Gone are the press tours around the nation, viewing parties, and personal appearances with the fans. BUT you can do an interview in your pajamas.

You can get so much more done from home and living in LA. I love not having to drive anywhere for appearances. I was a little bummed I didn’t get to go to New York to do any press, because I love going there every few months, but I know it will all be there when this is over. Now just feels good to be staying inside, feeling safe.

As an avid HGTV viewer, I always find myself disagreeing with the clients on the show, shouting at the screen when they appear to be difficult with my favorite hosts. I just had to know, what happens when you do not click with a client, but the cameras are rolling?

Or if the client does not like the work?

Well... that has happened. And that is how I have honed my acting skills. I dare you to try and figure out which clients were nightmares to work with.... I have had clients who did not get it or who were hard to get to emote on camera. So, with that kind of thing, you just must keep trying. My goal is to make everyone happy, so normally by the day we shoot the reveals I have rectified anything that might not be perfect. But some people are just difficult and impossible to please, so you just have to let it slide if they are less than gracious.

BEFORE

QUICK TIP: KITCHEN

Never underestimate the power of a cute, colorful tea towel to make your kitchen just a little bit happier!

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QUICK TIP: PLANTS

HOME

DESIGN

Don’t be too hard on yourself if a plant dies. People buy cut flowers all the time and those are already dead, so if you get a few months out of an indoor plant it is worth it!

Despite Orlando’s dance breaks, sassy one-liners, and onset phone calls to Mom, he commands the room – from the straightest single dad to the construction workers. Has there any been any homophobia from the stereotypically macho construction industry?

That is a good question. Not to my face, but you never know what people are saying behind your back. I think because I started my design career as on-camera talent I have maybe had people be more careful around me than they might otherwise. I am seen more as a person who has power (side note: I DON’T!) so people tend to be respectful.

What is the biggest takeaway from this season of Build Me Up? I think my biggest takeaway is that you can really stretch a budget if you are willing to do some of the work yourself. I basically planted two gardens myself and completely transformed the look of the spaces. Do not be afraid to mess up, you’ll be pleased with how much beauty you can create on your own!

Has Orlando rediscovered love?

My dating life is nonexistent because of COVID - it’s not possible to date in my opinion, I don’t want to go on a weird hike where we stand six feet apart in masks.

Someday, when it is over, I will try again...

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You can binge-watch the full season of Build Me Up, including his special one-hour finale, on HGTV GO. He also appears alongside the handsome Property Brothers for HGTV’s newest show, Brother vs. Brother, in two episodes, including the show premiere.

Quick, let me buy a fixer-upper so these guys can come over – I will provide the rose.

What does the future hold for Orlando?

Well, right now I am working on a product line, which I am selling on my website, and working with clients for the first time in a long time.

I have not had time with my book writing, TV shooting, etc. for the past few years, so it has been fun to get back to working with private clients.

■ FOLLOW ORLANDO ON INSTAGRAM: @MRORLANDOSORIA CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE WWW.ORLANDOSORIA.COM AND GET HIS DEBUT BOOK, GET IT TOGETHER, ON AMAZON.

QUICK TIP: BATHROOM

Do not be afraid of going bold with colorful towels - it’s a great way to add some life to a bathroom!

THE BORG AND THE BEAUTIFUL

JONATHAN DEL ARCO TRAVELS GALAXIES TO JOIN PATRICK STEWART IN STAR TREK: PICARD

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ STAR TREK FANS WENT CRAZY WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE LEAD CHARACTER FROM STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, Patrick

THIS PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOLLY PARKER

Stewart’s Jean Luc Picard, would return to television in a new space adventure. Fans were frenzied trying to figure out who else from the original Next Generation cast would be returning. Little did fans know, under the veil of CBS’ secrecy, that one of the series’ favorite guest characters would be returning 27 years after we first saw him – Hugh “Third of Five” of the Borg would once again warm our hearts, played by original actor Jonathan Del Arco (who looks damn good for traveling the galaxies for all those years). Not only is Del Arco part of the Trek family and a fan favorite, but he is also part of the LGBTQ family as a fierce political activist and storyteller.

Jonathan’s love of acting started early on and growing up about 45 minutes from New York City, the theatre was his first love. As early as 16, he was taking himself by commuter train to see every play he could, take acting classes, and audition. Right after high school, he moved to the City and soon after was cast in the touring company of the iconic Torch Song Trilogy. Traveling with such an important show from city to city at such a young age would be only the beginning for Jonathan, but an experience that would shape his career.

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I learned that I am really a gypsy at heart - I love to travel, and I loved the excitement of a new opening night every few weeks. When I was a kid I was obsessed with the circus, always wanted to join one, and being on the road with a show felt a little bit like a higher-end version of that… I mean I do not want to be pitching the tent but if I had to, I would!

Jonathan hit the Broadway stage in several plays with his debut at the age of 21 in Milcha Sanchez-Scott’s Roosters. Critics commented on his sensitivity through his character, a quality that made his Star Trek’s Hugh so memorable.

Part of the joy of theatre is the energy from the audience, part of the memories of theatre come from the onstage mishaps.

I remember I was in Torch Song where I’m supposed to interrupt the two leads as they are about to kiss… my dressing room was on the third floor of some gorgeous old theatre in Chicago and I was chatting with one of my castmates when I heard my cue over the loudspeaker. I flew down three flights of stairs and across a dark backstage, it was a disaster. Another memory was during dress rehearsal with an audience of a Shakespeare adaptation, where I a complicated bit of physical comedy that went awry… I hurt myself and my mind just switched off in a panic and I completely lost my lines. I could not remember a word, so I said “Oh shit!

Line!” and the director, one of my favorites, Bill Rauche, shouted my cue from the audience. Both experiences were SO humiliating!

While he was enjoying an avid theatre career, the LGBT community was fighting a battle with AIDS. The gay community and the theater community were losing loved ones every day, with a sense of terror current generations can only slightly resemble to our current pandemic. The AIDS pandemic hit home for Jonathan; his partner died in the late ’80s.

I think the saddest thing for me is talking to young gay guys have who have zero appreciation for the battles we fought, what we lived through to get us to where we are today. When my partner was dying I could have been thrown out of his hospital room by the family, I had no rights, and I don’t think that’s something a millennial or Gen Z(er) can even wrap their heads around.

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THIS PAGE: PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIACOMCBS

Jonathan had come out to his friends after his performance in Torch Song Trilogy. Coming out to his family took years until he was in his first, real relationship. He never did try to hide his sexuality in his career, although it was certainly not the popular choice.

I have too much respect for women to use them as props or worse, lie to them so that I could protect myself. What I did do, which really messed with my career momentum, was avoid a lot of ‘career events’ Like Hollywood parties, premieres, that sort of thing. I wish I had the courage at that time to just be myself, I would have been so much happier, and I think more successful.

Television was calling and the move to Hollywood was inevitable. Among guest-starring roles in Miami Vice, Sisters, The Wonder Years, and Blossom was his breakout role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. His relationship with Star Trek was not a new one. Born in Uruguay, English was not his first language.

The original series in re-runs was how I learned English. Star Trek was one of a handful of shows I would watch as a kid.

Del Arco would screen test for the role of Wesley Crusher but ultimately play Hugh - a human assimilated by the villainous Borg and turned into a robot being, part of a collective that was out to destroy any inferior beings in its wake. Hugh was rescued by Captain Picard and his Enterprise team and would form a memorable bond with the crew that taught them, and us as the viewers, a little bit about humanity. His performance was beautifully nuanced and though Hugh only appeared in two out of 178 episodes, he remains one of the most memorable guest characters. Why is Hugh so popular with the fans?

Well, that is a hard one to answer without sounding like an egomaniac, but the truth is that for some reason I was able to tap into something primal that was in that beautiful Renee Echivaria script. The thing is we all struggle with loneliness, it’s a part of the human condition and Hugh was the epitome of that feeling. I had just lost my partner a year before, so I was broken and lost and lonely, and I was willing to share that.

Who would have guessed that almost three decades later, Hugh would be called back to duty?

If you had asked me this same question 10 years ago, I would say “no way in hell” would they bring me back, so overall the whole thing has been a very lovely gift.

CBS’ Picard premiered on January 23rd, and it was the first time Trekkies saw some familiar faces among the revitalization of Trek on TV that included Star Trek: Discovery with the more recent animated METROSOURCE.COM

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THIS PAGE: PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIACOMCBS

series, Lower Decks, and plans for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (based on the mission of Captain Pike’s Enterprise) and Section 31 (a direct Discovery spinoff). Long-time fans and new audiences have a lot to be excited about. Picard was not just a rehash of The Next Generation, it was something new, something uncharted, and a complete risk. The payoff was huge. New, pardon the pun, generations and original Trekkies bonded over the show that paid homage to The Next Generation while, at the same time, propelled the brand into the future. What was it like returning to a character so many years after the fact?

Exciting, terrifying, challenging one of the bigger accomplishments of my career to come back and deliver something new that still had all the feels of the original.

One of the biggest challenges Del Arco faced, being a bit of a social butterfly, was being confined to his trailer in the studio’s attempt to keep his character and his character’s new look a secret.

It worked. The unveiling of Hugh’s return was an exciting moment for The Next Generation fans, and his storyline (no spoilers here) would add an emotional and beautiful pivot that we remember from Hugh’s original story so well.

After his original Trek debut, Jonathan would experience a lull in acting jobs and while waiting tables, was recommended to work on an environmental campaign led by Hollywood’s Rob Reiner.

This would lead to another passion of Del Arco’s, political activism. He has worked for several political campaigns, among which were three presidential campaigns, including serving as an Obama Celebrity Surrogate for the 2012 bid. He works to raise awareness for GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and has received the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign. On the heels of our current political nightmare, I had to ask about present-day politics as compared to Jonathan’s first years as an activist.

Well, there was no social media at the time so the back and forth was not as swift, but people had a much more decent sense of what is beyond the pale. What used to be unacceptable, like the trafficking in crazy conspiracies, where never so front and center.

Also, the advent of reality TV that made stars of people with no real talent opened the door to a President with no real talent… it’s really not a great time in terms of public discourse and so our politics are reflective of this idiotic cultural moment where you are valued by how many followers you have on Twitter or Instagram. The whole term “influencer” makes my skin crawl.

I THINK THE SADDEST THING FOR ME IS TALKING TO YOUNG GAY GUYS HAVE WHO HAVE ZERO APPRECIATION FOR THE BATTLES WE FOUGHT, WHAT WE LIVED THROUGH TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

Del Arco credits his political involvement for adding fervor to his acting. In 2003, he would once again make a splash on TV playing a recurring guest role on FX’s Nip/Tuck as Sophia Lopez, a transgender woman. Nip/Tuck, an early Ryan Murphy (Glee/American Horror Story/Hollywood) show, was a huge success albeit extremely controversial. Playing a trans woman, by a gay actor, on a hit show was a pretty daunting task.

I really wanted her to be a hero, not a victim. She wanted what she wanted and used all her charm and intelligence to get it. I really LOVED that character.

Given our current conversations about the trans acting community playing trans characters in media, would he take on the role today?

I absolutely would, but I don’t think we are in that place anymore. I think it is important for trans actors to be given the first shot at playing characters that represent their community. Having said that, I am proud to have been a part of the trailblazing that Ryan Murphy initiated with Nip/Tuck on the issue of trans rights.

Jonathan would go on to recur on The Closer as the openly gay Dr. Morales and continue that role on its spinoff, Major Crimes. Theatre would remain a constant in his life and he was able to celebrate his Latin heritage by taking part in the Hispanic Playwrights Project at South Coast Repertory in Southern California for six seasons. What is it about Latins and the arts?

Well, you might have heard that my people are pretty dramatic, so obviously I grew up in a family with a lot of humor and color lots of music and dancing. So, in terms of the Latino culture, it lends itself very well to the arts.

With television and theatre both tugging at Jonathan’s heartstrings, which one is his true love?

Stage acting is like walking on a tight rope and there is nothing to replace the thrill of the ‘do or die moment’ when you are on stage in front of a live audience and no net. But what I love about film and television is the opportunity for intimacy and really using very small and detailed parts of myself. I really love them both equally.

Writer’s Note: I am going to admit that I am a uniform wearing (I have six different ones), Star Trek ring-toning, convention-going Trekkie. Although I can get star struck when meeting or interviewing someone from the Trek world, I pale in comparison with some of the, shall we say, more aggressive fans out there. I had to know, what was Jonathan’s craziest fan experience?

I had a fan who used to fly across the globe to see me at EVERY CONVENTION. She would buy the same picture multiple times just to come to the table and talk to me and she had a really creepy stuffed doll made that looked just like me, down to the outfit I wore the first time she met me. That was a little creepy.

If drooling over Jonathan’s Trekkie pics on his social media makes me creepy, so be it. Beam me up!

■ YOU CAN FOLLOW JONATHAN ON INSTAGRAM @JONATHANDELARCO AND BINGE-WATCH SEASON 1 OF PICARD ON CBS ALL ACCESS.

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BEYOND SPACE WITH

WILSON CRUZ

TAKING STAR TREK:DISCOVERY INTO THE LGTBQ FRONTIER

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ THE STAR TREK FRANCHISE TURNED 54 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR AND THE ORIGINAL SERIES HAS SPAWNED

its own culture. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the original television series (greenlit by none other than Lucille Ball and Desilu productions) pushed the envelope by featuring women in command and a variety of minority actors, and made television history by featuring a network’s first interracial kiss. Civil rights issues of the ’60s were addressed under the guise of extraterrestrial conflict. Even as progressive as the Star Trek Universe was, it was not until the debut of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017 that we would see the first-ever featured gay characters. And who better to be a part of that history than Wilson Cruz, who has been a trailblazing activist and openly gay actor since his role as Rickie in My So Called Life in 1994, making him the first openly gay actor to play an openly gay character in a leading role on American television.

Wilson’s career has paved the way for members of the LGBTQ community and his fight for representation in the media through his political and social activism has given voice to a new generation of storytellers. His characters have reflected the struggle and successes of the LGBTQ community with roles in the musical RENT, Johns, Party of Five, Noah’s Arc, Party Monster, 13 Reasons Why, and his current role as Discovery’s Dr. Hugh Culber.

Wilson has also been an advocate for gay youth, sharing his own experience of being kicked out of the house because of his coming out. He was homeless just before filming My So-Called Life and could not even share the success of the show’s premiere with his family.

In my heart of hearts, I knew my father loved me. What I did not know was if he loved me enough to overcome the indoctrination we are all submitted to, culturally, about sexual orientation and gender expression. But when he reached out to me after watching Rickie Vasquez’s parallel journey, I knew that we had a chance. He reached for me and I reached for him and we agreed to have a very honest and vulnerable and authentic conversation.

Out of that came the relationship I have with him today, which is to say, I finally have a real relationship with him. That did not exist before. We did not see each other. We do now. Like any meaningful relationship, you must choose each other.

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THIS PAGE: PRODUCTION PHOTO COURTESY OF VIACOMCBS • WILSON CRUZ PHOTO BY AMY BROWNSTEIN/PRSTUDIO USA

SEVERAL TELEVISION SHOWS, feature films, animated series, and a fandom that has evolved into

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And while Star Trek’s message is that of equality in the future, there were still fans resistant to seeing a gay relationship on a starship. Social media comments ran the gambit, declaring that sci-fi was no place to promote sexuality. Um, cut to Captain Kirk’s aggressive womanizing, to any alien with a big chest and even bigger hair for the entirety of the original series.

It’s a big Star Trek universe and everyone has an opinion. I’m focusing on all of the overwhelmingly positive excitement the fandom has shown for us, especially from LGBTQ people and allies, young and old, some who’ve waited decades to see themselves and people like them as part of the Trek universe. I’m here for that.

The Star Trek universe was very familiar to Wilson.

My introduction was Star Trek: The Next Generation. I was the right age for it and that led me to the original series and its iconic history. It was a personal goal to someday be on Star Trek.

He took matters into his own hands to make that goal a reality.

I actually read about the development of the new series in one of the trades and saw that Bryan Fuller was involved, so I reached out to him because I loved working for him when I guest-starred in the series finale of Pushing Daisies. He replied that he would “love to see me in a Starfleet uniform” and we left it at that. I continued to monitor its progress and, at least nine months later, I become aware of the casting for the series and the change of producers to Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg, who wrote that series finale for Pushing Daisies.

Two great people I had remained friends with through the years. My reps reached out and the next thing I heard they cast Anthony Rapp, so I figured that was the end of it. Sent a note to Gretchen, Aaron and one to Anthony about how much they were going to love each other, and I added it to a list of actor life disappointments. Next thing you know, I get a call with an offer for Star Trek:Discovery, because the gays are coming to the Star Trek TV universe in a pair. I had one last little obstacle to get network approval and here we are. Tada!

Wilson’s character came with a lot of pressure, from both the Trekkie and LGBTQ community. Discovery takes place about ten years before the Captain Kirk stories, so we see some familiar characters, experience some of the same sound effects, and even get a glimpse of the Enterprise. And while the show’s mission was to remain loyal to the original canon, it still had to reflect advances in special effects, acting style, and sci-fi trends to make it appeal to new audiences. Wilson’s Dr. Culber is the ship’s doctor, taking the position of a Dr. McCoy or Dr. Crusher. He is also the partner of fellow crew member, Lieutenant Paul Stamens, played by fellow RENT alum Anthony Rapp. The inclusion of a gay relationship had to be presented as a matter of fact, a norm in what we can expect a diverse crew to look like in the future. The relationship is presented beautifully and imperfectly, a reflection of what any gay, or straight couple, has to go through with the ups and downs of living together while dealing with work and career issues; albeit this relationship also has to deal with the extraordinary elements of the universe. Star Trek has always been focused on the relationships of the characters over special effects and multiple action sequences. This relationship needed to be handled with craft and represent our community effectively.

Like anything in TV and filmmaking, it’s a collaborative process.

I think I have a healthy give and take with the writers and producers.

I feel very comfortable sharing thoughts and inspiration and I love hearing where their imaginations are taking him. It’s fun. In many ways, Hugh is the most personal character I have played since Rickie.

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I feel very protective of him and playing him has expanded me in ways that are hard to describe. I don’t know if I will ever be able to.

I cherish him. He is my patron saint of second chances. I don’t know anyone who has not needed one of those at some point.

It is fitting that his counterpart is played by Anthony Rapp, who has been titled as one of the first openly gay Broadway actors. He worked with playwright Larry Kramer in his youth and was inspired to become an activist and live an open life. His accusations towards actor Kevin Spacey also brought light to the sexual predatory behaviors that can exist for young, gay actors. Anthony and Wilson have become the poster couple to represent us in the future, and even today.

We’re just ridiculously proud to bring this epic love story to life,

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to be a part of a historic franchise, like Star Trek, that stands for everything that Anthony and I believe in and stand for and, most of all, that we have a longtime friend to go on that journey with. We know how fortunate we are to have this experience and this friendship.

This next year, the two actors will celebrate the 25th anniversary of RENT, a milestone in Broadway history for the LGBTQ community.

The entire RENT experience from auditioning for it and being rejected to picking myself up and trying again to finding myself fulfilling a lifelong dream of performing on a Broadway stage, taught me to be BOLD. I was in my mid-20s, I had no fear and you could not tell me I wasn’t the perfect person for that role and when I got it, I found the joy and the agony of life and I was freed by it, because

I had nothing and everything to lose...and I’ve lived my life that way ever since. That is what Angel gave me. FREEDOM. Day one on the set for Discovery was a memory for the scrapbooks for Wilson.

My first day, to this day, is still a bit surreal and like most of the biggest days of my life, a bit of a blur! [Laughs] I was so overwhelmed and it didn’t help that my first scene was not only the most sci-fi jargon wordy scene I had in the episode, but it took place on the bridge, the grandest and imposing set we have. I just wanted to walk through the turbo lift doors without tripping and say the words in the right order. I will say, standing in that white medical officer uniform as my Starfleet badge was placed on me for the first time, I was filled with a great sense of pride and responsibility.

The cast of Discovery could not be more different and yet cohesive at the same time. Perhaps a glimpse into a positive future where all types are welcome and can work together for a common good, there is unique chemistry to this cast that resembles that of the original series that inspired the franchise.

I do not know how they managed it, but through the various casting decisions, they have managed to gather some incredibly generous, open-hearted, professional, and proficient artists to work on the show. There is a mutual respect that is real and authentic. And I have to say that in terms of the cast and how we’ve bonded, that the example and the tone of how this was going to work was set at the top, by Sonequa (MartinGreen). If you know anything about working on our set, it is that your art will be appreciated, and you are safe to be all of you are with us. The rest is magic.

Another set of costars, as any Trek fan knows, are the props themselves. The blinking gadgets, the laser guns, the shiny handhelds, all have a proper use and a certain way of using them that die-hard fans will, and have, called actors out on for incorrect placement or usage.

Well, I don’t know if it’s true, but I feel like I used EVERY Star Trek medical device we have in my final scene of Season Two alone! Props are important and looking and feeling like they are everyday tools is tricky, at first, but you get the hang of it... I’ve become quite proficient in the Tricorder, let’s just say... but, as you know, we travel far into the future for Season Three, so you’ll have to wait to see what we’re dealing with there.

The debut of Season Three of Discovery propels the cast into the future, who knows what lies ahead in this uncharted future.

And what about the future of the LGBTQ community in media?

I just think, at this point, we need to get to work telling our stories and knowing that our stories are worthy of telling and in need of being told. We should be uplifting LGBTQ content creators, hiring LGBTQ cast and crew, especially trans and people of color. We need to be confident in our abilities to move, excite, and inform people with our stories and be willing to reveal ourselves with our work and invite as many people, from as many experiences into that conversation.

The future seems bright for both the Trek franchise and our LGBTQ community, especially given that this past political and social season seems to have set our movement back by decades.

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YOU CAN WATCH STAR TREK: DISCOVERY ON CBS ALL ACCESS, WITH THE FIRST THREE EPISODES PLAYING ON THE CBS NETWORK. FOLLOW WILSON ON INSTAGRAM @WCRUZ73

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THIS PAGE: PHOTO BY AMY BROWNSTEIN/PRSTUDIO USA

My advice to my fellow citizens is to be sure to be active in this election. Be counted and be heard. This is not the election you want to sit out. This election will decide who we are, as a nation, for the next 30 years, in my opinion. It is all on the line. As to the recent racial upheaval and the movement that has sprung from it, I say to the LGBTQ community: do not look away and do not separate yourself from this movement, in action or responsibility.

As members of a marginalized community, we understand the pain of discrimination, but that does not make us immune to our own biases or excuse our own actions based on them. We need to do the work... but we, too, can and should assert our humanity as well, in this movement. Black LGBTQ+ lives matter just as much and no less. So, there is work to be done everywhere, but if we come from a place of love and respect, we could see our way to a new way of living in solidarity with each other and claiming the power that comes from united Black, indigenous, immigrant, POC and LGBTQ+ communities.

Our social climate has made us look at our own community and hold ourselves and those around us accountable. We discovered that many of us are hurting from the actions of our own group.

The LGBTQ community does not exist in a vacuum. We are part of and live in a society that continues, as it has throughout its existence, to struggle with racism. It permeates every facet of this society. The LGBTQ community is not immune to systemic racism.

We can look back at our own civil rights movement and see racism in the practice of “respectability politics”, early on and see that.

I wouldn’t say that I have experienced more or less racism in the LGBTQ community, just about the same amount, which is already too much. I will say that I am heartened by the recent conversations and education around this issue in our community. I am proud of the seriousness with which our community confronts this issue.

Writer’s Note: Being a part of this interview has been such a special opportunity for me, as a gay man and as a Trekkie. A lot of people raise their eyebrows at the fanaticism that Trekkies can have. I was the uniform wearing, model building, convention-going, and comic book reading kid growing up. My single Mom raised me on Star Trek and would take me out of school whenever a new film premiered, that was our bonding time over characters she had grown up with. The Star Trek family was my family, the characters were my friends and a future where friendships were as important as family relationships rang true to me as my Mom and I were ostracized from our own family for being unconventional. As the chubby, gay, Latin, lower-income kid in an allwhite private school, I did not fit in. I was even cast as the Alien in the school’s Christmas play to the snickers of my classmates. Where I did fit in was the Star Trek Universe, no one batted an eye at what you looked like, what you were wearing, or where you came from. It was more than a sci-fi universe; it was a safe space where I could be myself and discover who I was. Being a fan of Wilson’s work and his courage to be out was an inspiration to me, even before I came out of the closet.

I could not help but shed a tear the moment Wilson hit the screen in his Starfleet uniform. It felt like I had come home. Phasers on stunning, we are the future.

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SETH SIKES THIS BROADWAY BABY IS HAVING A MOMENT

BY STEVE GOTTFRIED

THIS PAGE: SETH SIKES PHOTO BY VICTOR JEFFREYS II

SETH SIKES APPEARS TO BE HAVING A MOMENT. And by all accounts, the 36-year-old crooner appears poised to be in it for the long haul. Having earned rave reviews from veteran critics like Rex Reed and Liz Smith for his sold-out cabaret performances at Feinstein’s/54 Below, the New York Arts Review went all in, anointing him “one of the saviors of the Great American Songbook as we head into the 21st century.”

Like Feinstein did in his day, Sikes’ unabashed exuberance and pristine vocals dust off these golden oldies for a new generation. While the tendency was to change the pronouns to avoid the appearance of impropriety when Feinstein first came to prominence in the ‘80s, Sikes is completely at ease taking on the songs of Judy Garland and Liza without changing the pronouns and infusing these torch songs with a gay sensibility.

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PAGE 30-33: PHOTOS COURTESY OF SETH SIKES - FACEBOOK.COM/SETHSIKES

HIS SELF-PRODUCED GAY-CENTRIC MUSIC VIDEOS ARE EQUAL PARTS GOOFY AND INFECTIOUS. While most of us have been getting our Zoom on or packing on the COVID-19 from stress-induced bingeing during a pandemic with no end in sight, Sikes has been busy creating videos which showcase his vocals and his nostalgia for an era that is well before his time. The videos are of the homegrown, shoestring budget variety. The first, borne out of crushing isolation and shot in his NYC studio apartment, features a slightly inebriated but vocally on-point performance of “A Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid.” Extra points for the alluring onesie which prompted his mother to ask if that was meant to be sexy. Another features Sikes in a multicolored mask set to – wait for it –“A Mask of Many Colors”from“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” His most ambitious to date features Seth driving a tractor around Fire Island as a loving send-up of his idol Judy Garland’s song “Howdy Neighbor” from the 1950 movie “Summer Stock.”

While the budget may be meager, the pedigree is not. Collaborating with Tony-winning lyricist Lisa Lambert (The Drowsy Chaperone), Sikes credits Lambert with elevating his game. “She [Lambert] loves writing parody songs and I do too. My lyrics are very clunky, and she always polishes them off in a really smart way.” Sikes says it typically takes about 10 days to knock out the lyrics. “I usually send

her the idea of the draft, with some jokes and some lyrics laid out and highlight lines like “I’m not sure this is working.” And she’ll send them back and they’re always so much better.”

LIFE IS A (GAY) CABARET Many of Sikes’ concert performances can be found on the internet, with Sikes dressed dapperly, backed by a seven-piece band, belting out standards like “Stormy Weather,” “The Man that Got Away,”“Broadway Baby,”“Rock-A-Bye Your Baby” and “Zing Went the Strings of My Heart.” Sikes confesses he has always been drawn to the standards of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s. I remember singing “I Got Rhythm” on the playground when I was in kindergarten or 1st grade. Close your eyes and you might think you are listening to an old phonograph from the 1920s. While Sikes wryly acknowledges that this voice is not for everyone, citing an eye-opening trip down the internet rabbit hole to datalounge.com which seemed intent on taking the rising star down a peg or two. “They call it [datalounge.com] a gay bitch-fest and they’re just nasty. Someone had posted my “Fire Island Ferry” video and there are 87 comments… how my face is“disappointing”, and my voice sounds so shrill that they would be fine if they never heard it again. How it [the video] is not nearly as amusing as I think it is. The most vicious… I will not even repeat some of the things they wrote. You know, dirty, filthy, scandalous things.”

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FROM PARIS TO BROADWAY To understand Sikes’ shock at the depravity of anonymous online chatter, one need only go back to his Midwestern roots. Sikes was raised a Southern Baptist in ultra conservative Paris, Texas, not quite the ideal place to fly your rainbow flag. Though Seth recalls a happy childhood, he realized early on that he needed to heed the call of Broadway. “My dad’s a high school baseball coach and my mom is a middle school guidance counselor. They were great parents.

They were young and had not met gay people before.

My mom did not know exactly how to handle it, but she came around.” Sikes credits his Aunt Stacey for introducing him to Judy Garland movies at an early age. And as they say, the dye was cast. “I wanted to move to New York because I wanted to go where Broadway was. I also wanted to be where the gay people were, y’know. I was ready to get out of Texas.

So, I found a school in New York that we could afford. Circle in the Square Theater School… conservatory. And moved there when I was 18 and went there to school for two years and never left.”

Metrosource: Were your eyes just like saucers?

Sikes: Oh yeah.

Metrosource: From Kansas to Oz. Sikes: Exactly. It was like that. Looking back, I don’t know how I had the courage to do that at age 18. We were not living on campus or anything. We lived in an apartment in Astoria and I commuted to the city. I’m impressed with myself for having done that at that age.

The boy from Paris, Texas would find there were some detours along the Yellow Brick Road. After graduating from college, Sikes landed a part in an off-Broadway show called“Fame on 42nd Street.” He thought he was on his way. But the show closed after 2 weeks. “I was 20 years old, had my Equity card. I was not a very good actor. And I realized quickly, I would say six months to a year, that the auditioning life was not for me. I was not good at it. I did not want to do it. It was a mourning process to give that up.

But I loved the theater, and people had always said I should be a director. I was going to go back to school to study it or thinking about it. But Steven Sondheim told me, ‘if you’re going to direct, don’t go to school.

Just get in the room with the best directors in the business and assist them and learn from them, hands on.’

And I thought it was really good advice.” Naturally, I had to stop Seth right then and there to pursue his rather nonchalant dropping of Sondheim’s name as if it were perfectly ordinary. I pressed him for details and Seth obliged, “I was a huge fan [of Sondheim], and he’s famous for returning his fan letters. He returned mine and we, with mutual friends, all had drinks and we became really good friends for several

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years.” While I grappled with that for a moment, Seth continued,“Yeah, he’s an amazing person.”

Naturally, I had to ask if Sondheim has followed his success as a singer. “He has never been to a show, but I send him clips sometimes and I did send him these recent videos and he called and said that he liked them. So that made me happy.” The Sondheim connection explained, we got back on Seth’s behind-the-scenes trajectory. “I slowly worked my way from production assistant to assistant director regionally to assistant director on Broadway, off-Broadway. And I worked with some great directors. Jack O’Brien, Lonnie Price, and then my main longtime relationship as an assistant director was with David Cromer, who eventually directed ‘The Band’s Visit.’”

FROM THE TONY’S TO THE PIANO BARS Seth was part of the production team behind “The Band’s Visit” which swept the Tony Awards in 2018, claiming a total of 10 Tony Awards. The experience was undoubtedly thrilling. But 10 years on the sidelines watching others shine left him longing to flex his own creative muscle. “So, after doing that for 10 years and not performing at all, I found myself, too many nights a week, at piano bars, late into the evening, just because I needed this outlet to sing. And at that time, when I was singing at the piano bars, I started singing all these Judy Garland songs, I realized that I could – and I didn’t know this before. When I was in high school, and college, I was singing like pop songs, you know, like pop musical theater songs. And I am not a pop singer. It just did not sound right.

But when I started singing “The

Man That Got Away” or “Stormy Weather” or “Get Happy” – I was like, ‘oh my god, these are the kind of songs I can sing.’ So, I found a whole different tone to my voice and got excited about it. And that is when I got the nerve to somehow do a show at 54 Below. It was supposed to be a one-night-only concert with full band, just for my friends. And that was it. It was just one night only. And I had so much fun doing it, and it was so scary, but it was so fun. And it sold out, so they asked me to come back. And they just kept asking me to come back.

I got press, I got an agent, I got a press agent, I got reviews… and I guess word of mouth. So suddenly, I had performed like 13 or 14 times.”

Ninny Knows Best During those years Seth worked in theater behind the scenes, it was his Grandma Ninny who kept after him to use his God-given talent. “She’s the one who always encouraged me to sing. She is very Southern Baptist and she would say [slipping into a delicate Southern accent], ‘now Seth, if you don’t use the gift that God gave you, He’ll take it away.’” To his credit, Seth made good on that promise and saw to it that Ninny was there on that first one-night-only performance that launched him.

WHAT ABOUT BARBRA? Seth has been mulling recording an album, though he acknowledges the cost might be a roadblock.

Having done live tributes to Judy, Liza and Bernadette, Sikes acknowledges that a Barbra concert is probably inevitable, given his trajectory. But Seth explains it might not be the loving tribute you would expect. “I’ve thought a lot about doing a Barbra show. I have done a Judy show, I have done a Bernadette Peters show. Those were easy because they are my idols. And then a Liza show – another idol. I have a complicated relationship with Barbra, so I am not sure it would be a completely loving tribute. But I think I’ll end up doing a Barbra show at some point.” Did he just throw shade at Streisand? “I just find her to be a little… smug.” Sikes was quick to emphasize his appreciation for her early recordings, that he’s just not crazy about what he deems her schmaltzier recordings from the ‘70s and beyond. “I just don’t have the passion for her that I have for the other ladies. So, it might be a slightly cynical tribute.”

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YOU CAN FOLLOW SETH ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM @SETHSIKES.

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A PARTY WITH PRECAUTIONS REVIVING THE LIVE EVENTS INDUSTRY, TWO NEGATIVE COVID-19 TESTS AT A TIME

BY MEGAN VENZIN

ANTICIPATION REACHES FEVER PITCH IN THE CHECK-IN LINE. THE QUEUES ARE LONG. Tickets must be verified. Cars get

combed by security guards. It is a whole process. Only after the ceremonial thumbs up is offered may a festival goer enter the grounds and officially kickstart their fun-filled weekend.

At a retreat called In My Elements, nerves emerge for different reasons. When we roll up to the front gate in our rental car, licensed medical professionals are waiting with long cotton swabs in hand. Though we were tested in Manhattan for active COVID-19 with a PCR test just three days prior, there is still a lingering uncertainty surrounding the potential outcome of today’s result. Worse case scenarios flutter through our minds...

“What if we contracted the virus on the subway ride home?”

“Could we have come in contact at the grocery store where we bought our supplies?”

“Is it possible we’re asymptomatic carriers?”

After a three-hour drive, we are willing to take our chances. A positive test result means we must head home immediately to quarantine for at least 14 days. A negative result, on the other hand, is our ticket to see internationally

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renowned electronic artists like Maceo Plex and DJ Tennis perform at one of the season’s only festival-style events. Producers of this caliber are used to playing the world’s most lavish venues before thousands of fans - this time they will be spinning for less than 200 at a summer camp in Northeast Pennsylvania. It is a rare and hot prospect.

After waiting 20 minutes in a socially distanced parking spot, a staffer emerges with two tiny slips of paper. Underneath our names in capital letters are the words“SARS NEGATIVE”.“You’re good to go,”he says with a smile before pointing us toward a modest cabin where we will be lodging for the next three nights.

“It started with a question: under what conditions can we create a safe, limited-size gathering?” says Brett Herman, Co-Founder of Elements, the production company behind this weekend’s event (which is significantly different than the warehouse bashes he first cut his teeth throwing with BangOn!NYC in Brooklyn, NY).“That launched into research on testing, how COVID-19 spreads and business guidelines. We started with that framework and explored under what conditions we could make something happen.”

This thoughtful approach led Herman to develop a two-part

testing protocol - a cornerstone of the methodology he and a small team use while consulting for events under the company name, Tested Contained Retreats.

All ticket buyers were required to be tested 72 hours prior to the retreat at one of three designated locations in New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. Those who received positive results were contacted and asked to quarantine. Everyone else was sent an address and told to arrive on-site that Friday during approved hours where they’d be expected to take a second rapid test (Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA with 96.7% PPA and 100% NPA sensitivity, manufactured by Quidel) before joining the party.

“As long as COVID remains a factor, and there is no vaccine, then testing has to be a part of the conversation around live events,” Herman says. “We hope the whole process can be scalable for larger crowd sizes and that better and faster technology will come out in the interim.” In the meantime, a series of mitigation procedures aim to fill the gaps at this experimental, open-air retreat, which also features daily yoga classes and educational workshops on topics such as“Ecology in the Age of COVID-19”.

Buying a ticket comes with some commitments. Keeping a contact tracing journal prior to arrival is highly recommended, and guests must attest that they will not be in contact with anyone considered high-risk for 14 days following the event.

After they are screened and admitted to the retreat, attendees are expected to wear masks when coming within six feet of someone else (and if they forget, there is plenty of signage with reminders posted). Free face coverings are provided alongside an arts and crafts table that is stocked with glitter,

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puff paint and other charms for bedazzling.

Capacity is set at 250 people, including staff and artists, which is a fraction of what’s typically seen at the inspirational flagship event, Elements Music & Arts Festival. It typically brings more than 5,000 music lovers together over Memorial Day Weekend each year, however the 2020 event has been officially postponed until 2021.

Consent is another key focal point of a mandatory orientation that takes place early Saturday morning.“Always ask before approaching a new friend”– It is a welcome suggestion that all festivals could stand to push, in these pandemic times and otherwise.

Even though new precautions are present, the lakefront camp feels like a little slice of home. Friends reunite after months of solitude, splashing away to bubbly house music and disco sounds by day. At night, the squad migrates to a cozy, forest cove, illuminated by colorful lights and and blazing flames. Amidst fast-moving techno beats and rumbling bass, ravers reconnect with a feeling that has been universally missed since nightclubs shut down back in March.

“Everybody [has been] tearfully blissful about how important it is for them to finally get out and dance under open skies,”Herman shares with emotion in his voice.“We are clearly seeing the effects of long-term isolation on mental health, which is a real and legitimate health risk, just as much as this disease. If we aren’t able to provide balance, we will see escalating health costs and problems through rises in depression, substance abuse, and general anxiety, and I think finding a way to gather safely has to be a huge part of [the solution].”

The artists are ecstatic to be back in the saddle too. “Playing at In My Elements in July after a four-month hiatus on in-person gigs was a really surreal experience,”says Brooklyn-based DJ, Ria Bird.“I had been streaming live sets from home from time to time, which had its ups and downs. While it was great to be able to share my sets with people all over the world, I very much missed the energy of playing for a live crowd.

So much of what a DJ does [relies on] reading the room and responding to the energy of an audience in real time.”

After being approached by Elements and Tested Contained Retreats Co-Founder, Tim Monkiewicz, Bird said she jumped at the opportunity to be involved. “If nothing else I was excited and curious to see how they would pull off a festival during a pandemic,” she adds.

Still, there are critics who argue that the

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only safe party during a global health crisis is no party. But In My Elements and Tested Contained Retreats are giving cynics a run for their money.

Since taking place July 10th - 12th, there have been zero new cases linked to the small-scale celebration, which clocked a final crowd size well under Pennsylvania’s state-mandated limit for outdoor gatherings.

Following the success of their inaugural event, Tested Contained Retreats partnered with Jake Resnicow, the name behind NYC Pride’s hottest parties, to implement similar measures at his Utopia open-air retreat fundraiser which took place over Labor Day Weekend. It’s another way they hope to expand their reach and keep more communities safe.

With even more plans in store for 2020, Elements will cement their reputation for throwing some of this year’s only well-mitigated music events. Their efforts mark the beginning of a new movement that puts health and safety at the forefront of entertainment.

“If being able to go to a concert motivates more people to get people tested, then that is a huge benefit to society,”Herman explains before revealing that two asymptomatic cases were detected during In My Elements’ first round of testing.“We caught two young, healthy cases and were able to keep them home,” he adds.“That’s a huge net win.”

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DJ, Ria Bird

Co-Founder of Elements and Tested Contained Retreats, Brett Herman

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HOLLYWOOD’S NEWEST CHAMELEON

HARVEY GUILLEN COMES OUT OF THE SHADOWS

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

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FX’S HIT SHOW, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, EMERGED FROM THIS YEAR’S EMMY NOMINATIONS LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL, earning its place for Outstanding

Comedy Series alongside heavy hitters that included Schitt’s Creek, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. A mix between Addams Family, The Office, and a Christopher Guest film, What We Do in The Shadows, in its two seasons, has garnered much praise from critics and viewers alike for its unique writing, powerhouse guest stars, and a stand out ensemble cast. At the heart of the show is the most unlikely of heroes, Guillermo De La Cruz, portrayed

by Harvey Guillen. Guillermo serves as a familiar, for over a decade, to a group of vampire bandits who are as idiotic as they are enchanting. His only wish? To become a real vampire. Harvey’s sincere portrayal and unapologetic performance have catapulted this GLAAD award-winning actor to become one of TV’s hottest new stars and the media’s newest sweetheart.

With an “aw shucks” attitude and passion to share his joy of acting, he is proving to Hollywood to never judge a book by its cover. This is the new leading man.

PAGE 38-41: PHOTOS COURTESY OF HARVEY GUILLEN - FACEBOOK.COM/HARVEY.GUILLEN.3

Comedy was a part of Harvey’s makeup from his youth. Because his father worked in construction and had to relocate often, Harvey was used to making frequent moves and finding new friends, while dealing with all of the growing pains of fitting in, going through body changes, and dealing with his sexuality. He was the class clown and his big personality quickly overcame any insecurities.

I did use my comedic ability to make friends - it’s easier to be friends with someone who is funny. It also became a sort of a touring show for me, we moved a lot, so every city was like a vaudeville touring company. I enjoyed it. I made new friends that way and developed new characters. So, in a way, it did help.

Just like any good gay boy in entertainment, he was inspired by the musical Annie. He wanted to perform. Not standing in his way, but not being able to financially help, his family let him work his magic and his mother agreed to let him take classes if he could raise the money. He literally would go through the trash and collect cans

to pay for those early improv and acting classes.

Already setting himself apart at such an early age, he was never going to conform to an idea of what a leading actor looked like or what roles they could play.

Some of the things I was told early on was that you have to wait until you’re a Senior in high school or in college cause then you’ll be ready to perform - but no one gives a fuck that you’re a senior or a junior in the real world.

You will get the job if you are good enough for the job. That is one thing to this day that I still believe. No one cares how many years of training you have. If you’re good, you’re good and if you’re not, you’re not.

After doing community theatre, his first big exposure to filmmaking would be in The Internship, working alongside Rose Byrne, Owen Wilson, and Vince Vaughn. This was a long way from community theatre.

I was super nervous to work on that film, I mean it was something like a $56 million dollar budget and working with such big

names like Rose Byrne - who is also one of my favorites – (and since then we’ve become friends and I’ve seen a couple of her plays on Broadway) but I was a little intimidated.

It was my first multi-million-dollar budget film, but a lot of newcomers were part of the young cast, so we all got to bond together and become friends. Every gig is the same as the last one, just with a different budget is what I’ve learned. So, you put your best foot forward in anything you do.

Other roles would quickly follow, and often, he was cast for characters that he no way fit the description. Playing Cousin Bobbin in Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans put Harvey in spandex and sold him as a superhero…a whole new generation of TV watchers got to see that a curvy Latin kid was as much a hero as what they saw in comic books.

On paper it called for a traditional view of a superhero which was tall, slim, built, Adonis looking. Going in for a role that clearly on paper is not describing you was a ballsy thing to do, but I insisted on auditioning for it and I booked it. I would encourage other actors who think they can play the role to try to push through that door. People do not know what they want until it is in front of them and they realize they wanted it all along.

The multitude of comments on Harvey’s social media resounds in a big THANK YOU from fans, whether they are actors or not, for doing the hard work and sticking with a difficult career to show the world that looking or being a certain way will not limit your dreams or success – whether you are a fuller figure actor, Mexican, or gay. He has made a name for himself and has become a patron saint for every queer kid with a dream.

I think for me sticking to what is important and not changing or trying to alter to the prescription of what I should be is what I pride myself in. I like when I can do roles where I can say “that’s never been done before” or go out for a role that traditionally would not be offered to me or have not even considered me as a potential casting option. I feel very proud that I can, in any way, open a door for someone else coming up behind me to have a less hard time with it just because it is a hard industry. The moment that I realize “yes I’m doing this” is every time I book something. There is never an endgame, there is always the next gig. Everything is a steppingstone if you have your mindset.

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Harvey is a member of the new class of openly LGBT actors. Headlines for articles and interviews that cover Harvey are focused on his role in an Emmy nominated comedy, the secondary headline (if at all) is that he is gay. This is quite a difference from the days of an openly gay Neil Patrick Harris playing (gasp!) a straight man and his sexuality being the leading story. Are things changing? Is the industry able to focus on the craft rather than someone’s sexuality?

I still think there are limitations when it comes to being an openly queer actor in Hollywood because it wasn’t that long ago when people couldn’t imagine someone who is queer portraying straight or being a love interest in a heterosexual love story. We’re learning that as performers, it is the job, as the performer, to completely become that character and bring life to that personality. So, it has nothing to do with that actor’s personal life. I think we are moving in the right direction we still have work to do, but we are going towards the right direction.

Being authentic is the foundation of Harvey’s acting style. His authenticity reads on the camera and every facial expression, lilt in his voice, and line reading rings true. He embodies every character he plays. He insisted on doing his own stunts for Guillermo’s big vampire fight scene, a physical feat with high energy, high kicks, and Van Damme bravado. He lost twenty pounds to gear up for the moment and did not stop rehearsing until he got it exactly right. Cut to the day of filming, he was suffering a 104-degree fever.

Still, he insisted on doing it right then and there, otherwise, the shoot day would be ruined. He nailed it. And when the wrong kind of bunuelos (a Mexican dessert) was brought into a scene, Harvey whipped up his own to make it authentic, minutes before filming the scene.

I don’t think I can let go of small things like that if I can help it.

Even if that means me making bunuelos 5 minutes before we are supposed to do the scene because they are not the right kind of bunuelos.

No skin off my back - it is only going to make the scene more authentic. It is when you let them “Hollywood it” that things are not done right, and the representation starts to fade. Representation matters.

People make note of that and notice the small details of the bunuelos, the colors, the texture, and the way you talk in a Mexican American household. Those things should be taken into consideration because you are portraying somebody’s life and you want it to be as authentic as possible - it is only fair.

Harvey’s career is full of “at the right place at the right time stories.”

Chance meetings and auditions on a whim have gotten him the part. What We Do in the Shadows was no different.

I got the audition by going to a wine and cheese night where I saw my friend MiMi Michaels and her friend, whom I hadn’t met before, Ivonne. She and I got talking and the next day I got a text from Ivonne saying you should audition for my fiancé’s (Garrett Bash) new show.

They had already booked the other members by this point, I was the last from the household to be cast, by this point production was set to start in 48 hrs. This is actually another perfect example for the previous question - this role wasn’t right for me - the character was written to be 20 years older than me so I didn’t know if I was right for it but I fought to do it and the payoff was getting to play Guillermo, a series regular, in an Emmy nominated show.

Without a doubt, Shadows is a huge hit. The comedy is dark and inappropriate, but there is heart to it with overlying themes that deal with identity, friendships, and aspirations. This band of misfit characters is somehow relatable.

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I think Shadows has something for everybody. Yes, it is a comedy about vampires living with a human familiar, but jokes are thrown in there that reflect the current times we are living in. I think that is why everybody is so drawn to it. It’s different but the humor is international.

Guillermo has become a special part of Harvey’s life. There is a chemistry that makes Harvey’s performance standout in a truly stellar cast. Certain character elements are all Harvey’s doing and are the result of a collaborative environment between the actor and show creator.

The character that Jemaine (show creator) had created had very specific characteristics that I already embody. As we shot season one, I asked if I could give Guillermo a last name. I chose De La Cruz which translates to “of the cross” and Jemaine said, “that’s perfect” but didn’t tell me why because they didn’t want to tell me what was going to happen with the character’s storyline. Looking back, I’m glad I was able to contribute to that. It is great to have input in anything we do with the character.

Harvey’s input also comes from a close relationship with horror. Though Shadows is a comedy, it is the dramatic horror genre elements that highlight the comedy.

I love the horror genre. My whole family is into it, my niece is obsessed, and she is only seven. My sister is too. We are kind of a horror family. I think for me I really enjoy the horror/thrillers like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream, also those ‘90s teen slasher films were my jam.

Harvey is no stranger to the supernatural in his own life.

When my sister would come to visit me at my apartment, she would never want to stay by herself because she kept seeing

someone across the hall in a trench coat. She kept saying your neighbor is really creepy, and I said, “Neighbor? Nobody has lived there in like 4 years.” So, I’ll leave you with that.

But it is mermaids that really get him going. You need to check out his mermaid photoshoot on his Instagram.

I am obsessed with mermaids and would love them to be real - can we make that happen, please?

Press for Shadows is everywhere – interview after interview, billboards line the streets, it has become a Comic Con darling, and now with the Emmy nomination, shows no sign of slowing down. Harvey even hosted the podcast, Before the Shadows. Does Harvey get tired of talking about Shadows?

I do not mind talking about Shadows because I love the show so much myself.

Ask me in five more seasons and we’ll see where we are. [Laughs] Harvey has not taken a break with the success of Guillermo. He appeared in the recent series finale season of HBO’s Room 104, on Quibi in Don’t Look Deeper with Don Cheadle and Emily Mortimer and will once again hit the big screen in Werewolves Within, costarring Sam Richardson and Cheyenne Jackson. Each project with a wildly different character. He is Hollywood’s new chameleon. What kind of character could possibly be next?

I was offered a role I have not done before. There is singing and dancing involved - so I’m looking forward to it.

And where do love and dating fit into Harvey’s life?

Dating? I just got out of a relationship not too long ago, so I have been pretty content just focusing on work. For the time being, I’m single and ready to mingle — from six feet apart.

■

YOU CAN FOLLOW HARVEY ON INSTAGRAM @HARVEYGUILLEN AND BINGE WATCH BOTH SEASONS OF WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS ON FX & HULU.

WATCH FOR OUR METROSOURCE PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH HARVEY ON APPLE PODCASTS, IHEARTRADIO, AND YOUTUBE.

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SCRUB NIVEA EXFOLIATING FACE SCRUB

BODY

HEALTH

niveausa.com $10.99 Need to prime? Clear out anything unwanted or excess with Nivea Exfoliating Face Scrub. The scrub, which includes aloe vera and pro-vitamin B5, cleanses and protects the skin from drying out. Optimal to incorporate into the morning routine, the scrub can remove dead skin and protect your skin’s natural barrier, getting you ready to allow just the right amount of sun onto your skin.

WASH

BEARD CARE 2020 PRODUCTS TO MAKE YOUR BEARD MORE BILF (BEARDS I’D LIKE TO FONDLE)

BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES WHILE FACIAL HAIR HAS BEEN IN SEASON FOR SOME TIME NOW, many

need some assistance with that new-ish quarantine beard. Maintaining a quality beard does not take a tremendous amount of work, with a few strong products you can let the oils, lotions, and conditioners do the work. Be sure to properly wash your face and beard and prep your beard and the area around before doing any shaving or trimming. Be sure to introduce quality oils and lotion into your routine and keep it sanitized and free of residual germs from any of those viruses going around. With a little TLC, you can train your beard to look clean and sharp at any length. Here is a selection of products and steps to take that unruly beard to the next level… BILF.

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MALIN+GOETZ GRAPEFRUIT FACE CLEANSER malinandgoetz.com $32 Malin+Goetz is an apothecary launched by Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood in 2004. The focus of their brand is easy-to-use, gentle treatments helping to cleanse and restore pH balance without harsh ingredients, irritants, or unnecessary detergents, colorants, and synthetic fragrances. Their foaming cleansing gel is gentle on the beard and whole face. This perfect blend of natural grapefruit extract with amino acidbased cleansing agents work to purify and hydrate pH balance to the skin.

PREP AIDAN GILL FOR MEN SHAVE OIL aidangillformen.com $25.00 When Aidan Gil, the infamous Irish barber based out of “the Big Easy” came out with a line of grooming products, we leaned into it. The Aidan Gill For Men’s Pre-Shave oil, was formulated by Aidan, and is used daily in the Barbershops to ensure the most comfortable and close shave. Apply this lightly scented blend of essential oils to clean wet skin prior to the application of shaving cream and you will be able to keep everything clean, safe, and looking great.

LATHER JACK BLACK BEARD LUBE CONDITIONING SHAVE WITH JOJOBA & EUCALYPTUS getjackblack.com $35 If you are looking for a dynamite all-in-one product Jack Black’s Beard Lube Conditioning Shave with Jojoba & EuEu calyptus should be considered a go-to. The translucent for formula does the heavy lifting as a pre-shave oil, shave cream, and even an after-shave conditioner to soften facial hair for a painless shave. In addition to jojoba & eucalyptus, the lube includes macadamia nut oil, heather, menthol, pep peppermint, and a variety of other subtle ingredients. Leave the product on for about sixty seconds before shaving. When finished, rinse with cold water. You will thank us later.

EUFORA HERO FOR MEN EXCEPTIONAL SHAVE eufora.net $23 Eufora, offering clean, quality beauty products since 1997.

Eufora formulations harness the power of more than 100 unique plant and flower extracts, essential oils, vitamins, and natural aromas for their products. While the company is known for their fantastic line of hair care products, the ultimate 3-in-1 pH balanced shave solution is a fantastic product to help you to shave away any excess or unneces unnecessary hair to make your beard look good and stand out. The non-foaming formula is the perfect choice because it allows you to essentially “mark out” detail easily on your cheeks and neck.

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TREAT JACK BLACK JACK BLACK BEARD OIL getjackblack.com $26 This exclusive blend of certified organic natural oils, potent antioxidants and vitamins protect skin from the damaging effects of free radicals and environmental pollutants. Key ingredients like Vitamin E, Kalahari melon oil and Marula oil, work to counteract free-radfree-rad ical damage, soften facial hair and smooth skin underunder neath. Keep your beard healthy.

BILLY JEALOUSY CBD BEARD BUNDLE

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HEALTH

billyjealousy.com $90 Billy Jealousy has a new CBD line to soothe beard ail ailments with an infusion of 420 mg of CBD. The full line includes Their CBD Beard Bundle includes CBD Beard Oil (2 oz.), CBD Beard Balm (2 oz.), and a CBD LeaveIn Conditioner (3 oz.). Billy Jealousy’s CBD Beard Oil will nourish and reinvigorate moisture to even the driest beard, while the Billy Jealousy CBD Beard Balm additionally calms irritated skin while helping hair to retain moisture. Need to take it to the roots?

Billy Jealousy’s CBD Leave-In Conditioner goes deep, providing a light hold for healthy hair and a manage manageable beard. The company’s CBD is derived from select hemp that is cultivated in the USA. It is lab tested to ensure purity, potency, and free of THC.

SHAVE & TRIM BULLDOG BULLDOG SKINCARE FOR MEN ORIGINAL BAMBOO RAZOR bulldogskincare.com $14.99 Fun fact: over two billion plastic razors are sent to the landfills each year in the United States. Bulldog, a skincare company launched by Simon Duffy and Rhodri Ferrier in 2006, takes pride in trying to eliminate the problem. Their Bamboo Razor is making strides to help protect the environment while offering men the shave they deserve. Each razor, built ethically with fully recycled packaging made from recycled stock and environmentally friendly inks features five tempered steel blades and a lubricating strip of aloe, designed to provide a comfortable shave. The handle, designed with a natural bamboo handle, will fit well in your hand, and help to lower your overall environmental impact.

BULLDOG BULLDOG SKINCARE FOR MEN ORIGINAL BEARD BALM bulldogskincare.com $9.99 This fast absorbing beard balm will not leave you looking like an oil slick. Bulldog’s Original Beard Balm is specially formulated for the thick hair found on the face and will leave your beard healthy and conditioned.

Soothing and nourishing, it helps to reduce any itchy sensation you may experience under your beard.

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REMINGTON VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE HAIRCUT & BEARD TRIMMER remingtonproducts.com $34.99 Why settle for a mediocre trimmer when you not only have a high-quality trimmer, but an entire 15-piece kit for a reasonable price? Remington’s Virtually Indestructible Haircut & Beard Trimmer comes with a lifetime warranty, which you will not need as it’s designed in a heavy-duty polycar polycarbonate shell to withstand drops, knocks, and falls.

The trimmer includes removable precision ground blades that can be washed, nine combs from 1.525mm, a premium beard brush, another styling comb, and a nice storage pouch. Chances are, you will like the trimmer so much you will want to also order the Virtually Indestructible Nose & Ear Trim Trimmer as well.

SANITIZE SAFE HAIR HAIR INSTANT CLEANSING SPRAY safehair.com.br $14.99 Safe Hair: Instant Cleansing Spray is a new antimicrobial hand sanitizer collection that will help shield the hair from bacteria, germs, and Coronavirus. Safe Hair launched this first-of-its-kind solution specifically formulated to disinfect your hair and beard to banish coronavirus, germs, and bacteria by 99.9%. The three main ingredients in the spray include melaleuca, lemongrass, and aloe vera. To sanitize even more, bring your Safe Hair Shampoo into the shower with you and scrub any bacteria and Coronavirus you might be carrying with you down the drain.

FINISH RICH BY RICK ROSS LUXURY BEARD OIL richbyrickross.com $17.99 Grammy-nominated rapper & entrepreneur Rick Ross launched a fantastic skincare line a few years back. The standout in the line, Luxury Beard Oil, is a beard oil that will make you feel like you are on top of the charts. Rejuvenate your beard with ingredients like jojoba seed oil, olive fruit oil, and grape seed oil and get a closer look to see how your hair will start to glow. Who knows, it might just inspire you to put out a hit.

MVRCK BY MITCH SKIN + BEARD LOTION paulmitchell.com $6.50 Discover the art of uncommon barbering with MVRCK by MITCH (from the good people at Paul Mitchell). MVRCK Skin + Beard Lotion will shape and tame coarse beard hair, from light stubble to full grown and everything in between. Lather a little in your beard and feel an almost immediate sense of control and additional moisture. The rich, hydrating formula contains barley seed extract to moisturize the face, skin beneath the beard, and your gorgeous facial hair so you can go out into the world.

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HEALTH BODY

GET BOARD, NOT BORED IT’S BOARD GAME SEASON

BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

AS THE WEATHER CONTINUES TO FORCE US BACK INDOORS THERE IS AN INCREASED NEED FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN AND RECREATION. There has

never been a better time to pick up a few board games, so you have them on hand to create a bit of extra fun whenever you need it. Stock up so you have plenty of activities and games to play with your immediate family, roommates, or that cluster of friends you have been social distancing with.

This fall we took a closer look into the collections of Hasbro and Ravensburger, two of the top board game manufacturers in the world. Hasbro owns an extensive classic board game portfolio through its ownership of brands like Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley, Avon Hill, and Wizards of the West Coast. Ravensburger, one of the leading manufacturers of puzzles, books, and board games such as the ever-popular Labyrinth brand.

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CRINGEWORTHY Players: 3+ $24.99 When has it ever been okay to aim to be awkward and uncomfortable? In 2020, of course. Cringeworthy puts you and your friends in horrible, hilarious, NSFW situations. In each round, the Cringemaster reads a Situation card that sets up an open-ended scenario. Each player then chooses a Cringe card to play and reads it out loud to the group. Yes, you must read it yourself. Got an “[Insert Name]” Cringe card?

Say the name of any player other than the Cringe Cringemaster to crank up the awkwardness. Whoever makes the Cringemaster feel the most uncomfort uncomfortable wins the round. This game is for adults only, se seriously. Tell the neighbors to leave their kids at home or wait to put any little ones to sleep before pulling the bright yellow box out. HASBRO

SWEET EXISTENCE A STRANGE PLANET CARD GAME Players: 4-8 $19.99 Hot off the presses, this new game brings the cre creativity of Nathan W. Pyle’s Strange Planet webcomic and books to life. Laugh and marvel at the absurd complexities of life with this strategic party card game inspired by his universally relatable beings and their unique perspective on the world. Forming con connections through this game, while experiencing life events, and developing strategies to add more ‘Sweet Disks’ to your stash -- all while avoiding the dreaded Perish card. HASBRO

DISNEY VILLAINOUS: PERFECTLY WRETCHED Players: 2-3 $24.99 Disney Villainous won the 2018 Toy of the Year Award.

Previous versions included notorious villains like Maleficent, Ursula, and Jafar. The new version, Disney Villainous: Perfectly Wretched welcomes Cruella de Vil, Mother Gothel, and Pete to the board in a new expand-alone expansion. In Disney Villainous, players race to complete their own devious objective, while dealing twists of fate to their opponents. Who will prove most villainous? Play and see. Each game includes 3 boards, 3 villain movers, 90 villain cards, 45 fate cards, 58 tokens, 3 reference cards, 3 villain guides, and instructions. RAVENSBURGER

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JENGA BRIDGE Players: 1+ $14.99 You have played Jenga, but have you explored Jenga Bridge yet? Like the original, Jenga Bridge players remove blocks from the Jenga tower one block at a time and then place it on top. With this new edition of the game, things get even more intense as the tower is placed on a wooden bridge that sways.

Get ready for plenty of tension with this one. Each game includes 42 hardwood blocks, so be sure to move your smartphones, cocktails, and anything you do not want knocked over when everything comes crashing down. HASBRO

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HEALTH

3D LABYRINTH Players: 2-4 $34.99 Labyrinth, the international classic, is quickly approaching its 35th anniversary. To celebrate the game, available in 26 languages in over 60 countries, Ravensburger is launching 3D Labyrinth, a new dimension for enthusiasts. Players are now able to move up and down as they climb towers and deep dive into castle dungeons in pursuit of treasure.

Whoever collects their treasure first wins. Each game includes 1 game board, 17 towers, 4 wizard playing pieces, 4 Rune Cards, 12 treasure cards, and 24 magic cards. RAVENSBURGER

MONOPOLY LONGEST GAME EVER Players: 2-4 $19.99 Admit it, you have time for a long game. Really long.

Fasten your seatbelts for Monopoly Longest Game Ever. We are talking tortoise and hare tokens, multiple properties, and all kinds of different features including: no auctions, cash for Free Parking, and the opportunity to rip bills in half (you heard that right).

Each game includes 4 tokens, 22 Title Deed cards, 16 Chance cards, 16 Community Chest cards, 32 houses, 12 hotels, 1 die, a money pack, and instructions.

Put on a pot of coffee, it is going to be an epic night.

HASBRO

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DISNEY HOCUS POCUS: THE GAME Players: 2-6 $19.99 What are you doing on Halloween? Why not light a black candle and pull out a little Hocus Pocus for your nearest and dearest to enjoy. Work as a team to stop the Sanderson sisters before they drain the lives of Salem’s children. You have until sunrise to ruin their potion in this whimsical fantasy art style board game. Use tricks like the Burning Rain of Death and Billy Butcherson might emerge to lend a helping hand. This new title from Ravensburger was just re released in August of 2020. Each game includes a cool cauldron board, 50 ingredient cards, a witch board, 13 spell cards, sun token, stun token, 4 trick tokens, a Binx mover, and rule book. Bubble, bubble, are you in trouble? RAVENSBURGER

CLUE - LIARS EDITION

MONOPOLY HOUSE DIVIDED BOARD GAME Players: 2-6 $19.99 While you might be tired of hearing about the actual 2020 election, the Monopoly House Divided board game is a fun way to celebrate the ups and downs of an election campaign. Players can buy states, earn votes, and collect rent. Go ahead and set up your campaign headquarters, earn votes, steal states, and send your opponent to the big house. If you make it to the White House (by obtaining the token) you will be able to double the rent you charge and add more votes at the end of the game. Each game includes a game board, 6 candidate cards, 6 candidate tokens, 22 state cards, 16 Executive Power cards, I Voted cards (adorable, right?), 36 cardboard voting chips, 40 plastic Campaign Headquarters, 1 plastic White House, 2 dice, a money pack, and game guide. Once all states are claimed the candidate with the most votes wins. May the best (wo)man win! HASBRO

Players: 2-6 $19.99 Hasbro has turned things up a notch this fall with the introduction of Clue - Liars Edition board game, where players use investigation cards to help figure out who killed Mr. Body in the mansion. Pick a card and read it out loud, trying to play it cool and convince other players they are telling the truth. If a player suspects they are lying they hit the “Liar But Button”, which is satisfying unto itself. Move closer to cracking the case with each evidence card. When you are ready to make a formal accusation look at the case file envelope for the big reveal. Was it Mr. Green with the lead pipe in the Billiard Room? Mrs. Peacock with the revolver in the Conservatory? Time will tell. Make a night of it and watch the cult classic film before, after, or during your game. Who knows, it might inspire your victory! HASBRO

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THE QUEST FOR EL DORADO

HEALTH

Players: 2-4 $34.99 Do you dare to search for the golden city? Build your expedition and venture through the jungles of South America through this fun deck-building board game.

Be sure to get your plan in order, assemble the right team, and anticipate any equipment you might need.

Each player starts with the same combination of cards, use these to move through your expedition and get newer and better cards. Each game includes 7 terrain tiles, 2 terrain strips, 1 ending tile, 6 blockades, 8 playing pieces, 4 expedition boards, 1 starting player hat, 1 market board, 86 expedition cards, 36 cave tokens, and instructions. With 100,000 possible layouts and a deck-building strategy component, El Dorado can be played over and over for hours of fun. Who is going to cross the golden border first? Roll up your sleeves and get ready for a race and a true competition. RAVENSBURGER

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THE PRINCESS BRIDE

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Players: 1-4 $24.99 “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” Channel your inner Buttercup as you race through the Cliffs of Insanity and navigate the Fire Swamp to survive the dastardly machinations of Prince Humperdinck, Count Rugen, and Vizzini in The Princess Bride Adventure Book! Now is your chance to indulge in the six chapters of the popular film. Will there be eels? Yes. And interruptions. Now, the only thing missing is Fred Savage...unless you are quarantining with him, then we are coming over.

Each game includes 1 adventure book game board, 1 replay counter, 5 challenge completed tokens, 5 mirmir acle counters, 4 player reference cards, 40 story cards, 30 special cards, 20 plot cards, 7 character miniatures, a rulebook, and more. The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game is scheduled to come out October 4.

Want to be the first on your block to play the game?

“Inconceivable!” RAVENSBURGER

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

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Is there a color you’ve never seen before?

YOUR FAVORITE NEW COLOR ISN’T A COLOR While artists use paint, dye and ink to create an array of beautiful hues, the morpho butterfly uses light to display a brilliant blue. Inspired by the morpho’s vivid pigment, Lexus developed a unique paint that changes chromaticity depending on the angle you experience it. Creating a color that, like the butterfly, isn’t really a color at all. It’s a pure reflection of light. Delivering one of the purest, brightest blues the human eye is capable of seeing. Discover a new hue at lexus.com/curiosity Prototype shown with options. © 2020 Lexus.

LEXUS STRUCTURAL BLUE