NOV| DEC 2013
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Through
the Woods
To grandmother’s house? Hmmm ... where else could you go dressed so fab?
JFK’s Gay Best Friend One of the former president’s least-known secrets
Toys for Joys Popular charity event celebrates 5 years of giving
Making Waves A new generation of queer DJs go back to the future
Merry and Gay A gift guide for making the yuletide queer
The Gift of
Good Taste
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INTRODUCING
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From The Publisher I had the privilege of attending a meeting recently at the offices of the Consulate General of Israel to New England. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange idea and information with Irit Zviely. Irit is the CEO of an organization called Hoshen. Hoshen is the leading LGBTQ advocacy organization in Israel. It was a fascinating meeting as Irit told stories of how her network of volunteers presents on a daily basis to high school students and teachers, university students and faculty members, police and border guard corps officers, soldiers, army cadets and officers, medical staff, social workers, and guidance counselors. If that mission sounds familiar, it should. It mirrors the activities of many similar organizations here in the U.S. As our conversation went on, it became even clearer how many similarities there are between the LGBT communities in both countries. Without getting too political or in depth, we talked about the difference between ‘red states’ and ‘blue states’ in the U.S. and the difference between ultra-orthodox and reform communities in Israel (as well as the Arab population there). Also in attendance were representatives from BAGLY, Boston Pride, the South Asian Art Council, to name a few. The talk showed, once again, the good that can happen when people from different countries and cultures sit around a table and open their minds to new ideas and ways of thinking. Speaking for the rest of the group, I think we all came out of the meeting feeling very excited about our time spent at the Consulate. On a lighter note, welcome to Boston Spirit’s 2013 Holiday Issue! As usual we’ve got a great line up of stories for you as well as a fashion photo shoot that will keep you looking good around the fireplace this winter. So, without further adieu, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and (since we will not be back in your mailbox until January) Happy New Year!
David Zimmerman Publisher P.S. Be sure to check out Boston Spirit’s new website! Daily updated stories on LGBT news from around the world and much more. www.bostonspiritmagazine.com. We hope you like it.
2 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Boston Spirit Magazine supporters 5 Star Travel Services Accent Limousine Audio Concept Bavarian Chocolate Haus Bo Concept Boston Ballet Boston Symphony Orchestra Boston University Burns & Levinson, LLP Carpe Diem Celebrity Series of Boston Circle Furniture Destination Salem DJ Mocha Dover Rug Eastern Bank Elizabeth Grady Fenway Health Foxwoods Resort & Casino Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Hotel Commonwealth Jasper White's Summer Shack Jimmy Fund Konditor Meister Lombardo's Long's Jewelers Lucia Lighting Lyric Stage Company of Boston Macy’s Marriott Copley Place Columbus Hospitality Group Oraquick Peabody Essex Musem Pernod Ricard (Absolut) Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston Sculler's Jazz Club Seashore Point Seasons Four Silo Vodka Ski Haus The Theater Offensive TJX Companies Inc Tresca Tufts Health Plan UBS Financial Services, Inc. US Trust Wellspring Weight Loss Westin Waterfront Tresca UBS Financial Services, Inc. Urban Art Bar, The US Trust Wellspring Weight Loss Westin Waterfront
37 THE GUIDE 38 64 39 28 87 61 46 THE GUIDE 73 86 36 THE GUIDE 21 19 25 83 9 33 18 COVER 22 27 72 1,3 14 THE GUIDE 5 31 COVER 17 63 COVER 29 91 11 65 15 13 67 7 80 69 THE GUIDE 20 THE GUIDE 71 39 THE GUIDE 91 15 THE GUIDE 25
As We Go To Press … It’s the giving season again. Time to beef up (turkey up?) our gratitude and generosity. One of the most heartening trends in the LGBT world today is a move toward giving beyond the gay community. For years, queers have justifiably been targeting our funding power toward causes and organizations that advance the basic notion of equality, a concept that everyone should have been supporting all along. This kind of focus has won us many victories. In fact, in one little-noted advancement, the last Fortune 100 corporation hold-out on granting domestic partner benefits to employees, Exxon Mobil, relented on October 1. (This means that I will be extra grateful that I don’t have to time my gas stops along the New York State Thruway this year on my way home to my parents’ Thanksgiving dinner!) The world’s largest oil company made the change largely to comply with the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned DOMA, which means that the millions of dollars directed toward LGBT advocacy groups is making big strides. In the larger scheme of things, having to direct so much money toward fighting for basic rights has drained LGBT charitable resources. If the country and many of its citizens had only been rational and had their hearts in the right place, then organizations like Gay & Lesbian
Contribute your opinion: editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com
Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, MassEquality, and others would never have needed to exist. Think of all the resources that could have been channeled into alleviating world poverty, creating world peace, and eliminating disease and suffering! Sigh. The truth is, we still need to fund these organizations, as we still need to protect the basic rights we have been securing, and to spread them to places that still have not seen the light of day. Still, with the sense that a tipping point is occurring in the LGBT rights movement, gay people have felt more comfortable in opening up our wallets to worthwhile movements beyond queer ones. So we see the rise in recent years of new, LGBT-run organizations that target their charity beyond LGBT concerns. These include Gay for Good, which organizes LGBT people to help out with social welfare and environmental needs on a local level, and the Rainbow World Fund, which promotes LGBT philanthropy for world humanitarian relief. In this issue of Boston Spirit we feature the work of Toys for Joys, a Boston-based, LGBT-run, philanthropic drive to provide toys for underprivileged children during the holiday season.
Celebrating Another Marriage Victory!
4 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Celebrating its fifth year, the event has been a hot ticket, with 500 people turning out annually and would-be givers being turned away at the door because the event couldn’t accommodate all of the LGBT assistance that was being offered. This year the event moves to a larger location at the Black Falcon cruise terminal so more can join in the joy of giving. And what a joy it is. As writer Scott Kearnan notes in the story in this issue, “If Santa Claus was gay, his Christmas party might look like this.” What’s particularly nice about this event is that it provides both an opportunity to give beyond the gay rights movement, while also gathering the LGBT community to celebrate that we can finally provide for a bigger, brighter future for everyone in the world, now that we are solidly moving toward providing the same for our own LGBT children of future generations. What a great reason to be merry and gay! So let’s give a big Ho! Ho! Ho! for the homosexuals. Happy Holidays!
James A. Lopata Editor in Chief
You can now get your dose of Boston Spirit on New England’s online leader, Boston.com. Visit Boston.com/lgbt where Boston Spirit brings you all things LGBT-related, including breaking local and national news, party and event updates, and lots more! Visit Boston.com/lgbt today.
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Contents NOV|DEC 2013 | VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 6
10
26
Hit List
Ricardo Recommends
Spotlight
42
Last-minute Shopping Inspiration
Hit List 10 Here Comes Harry’s 11 Snow Job 12 Stowe Job 13 Watershed 14 Heart And Soul 16 Local Gems 18 Go Figure 22 Word Is Out 24 Ricardo Recommends 26 Drink Up!
Gay Literary Great Resurrected
32
Alternative Lifestyle
34
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and the ‘Magnetic Couple’
41
Underground sounds. Queer sensibilities. An inclusive embrace. A new generation of queer DJs are going back to the future. Local celeb couple preaches the virtues of an HIV-poz and -neg relationship
72
Seasonal Merry and Gay
Need some last-minute shopping inspiration? Whether you’re popping the question or just stuffing a stocking, we have some gay gift ideas for you. From casual fireside looks to more refined fashions, bundle up, beautiful
NOV|DEC 2013
Books: From Stage to Page
Mountain Views FREE!
From casual fireside looks to more refined fashions, bundle up, beautiful
DELIVERED SUBSCRIPTION BostonSpiritMagazine.com
Through
the Woods
JFK’s Gay Best Friend One of the former president’s least-known secrets
Toys for Joys Popular charity event celebrates 5 years of giving
Making Waves A new generation of queer DJs go back to the future
Merry and Gay A gift guide for making the yuletide queer
BostonSpirit_Layout20131112_Cover.indd 1
BostonSpirit_Layout20131112_Cover.indd 1
10/21/13 10:48 AM
ON THE COVER Fashion 48
10/21/13 10:48 AM
the yuletide queer A gift guide for making
Merry and Gay
DJs go back to the future A new generation of queer
Making Waves
celebrates 5 years of giving Popular charity event
Toys for Joys
least-known secrets One of the former president’s
42
6 | BOSTON SPIRIT
JFK’s Gay Best Friend
John F. Kennedy’s many lifetime secrets are common conversation today, but the story of his oldest and dearest friend’s sexual orientation is largely unknown
Music Man
64
He’s Made Up His Mind
66
Love is ‘Blue’
68
Down to Earth Diva
70
From Stage to Page
72
Class and Character
74
John O’Neill carries on cabaret tradition Gay playwright Nicky Silver comes to Boston to world premiere his work ‘Kurt Vonnegut’s Make Up Your Mind’ Blue is the Warmest Color hits theaters amid controversy, but let’s not forget the book that spawned it
Deborah Voigt demystifies opera in ‘Voight Lessons’
Elyse Wilk has always had an appreciation for singular style—then again, the apple never falls far from the tree
Scene One Southie Water Walk Rock Your Senses 2013 Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health Out! As I Want to Be The Wedding of Stephen Hartley and Brian Deslauriers
82 83 84 85 86 87
Calendar Calendar 88
48
Coda ‘Can We Talk?’
Joan Rivers comes to New England
Culture
To grandmother’s house? Hmmm ... where else could you go dressed so fab?
62
Gay gifting group Toys for Joys celebrates fifth anniversary
Book reviews
Feature A new biography revives Massachusetts’ John Horne Burns, the lauded author of post-WWII America, who died in ignominy
Toying Around
60
96
YOUR SPIRIT. OUR FAMILY.
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POST-DOMA get your tickets FINANCIAL NOV|DEC 2013 | VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 6 PUBLISHER
David Zimmerman EDITOR IN CHIEF
James A. Lopata ART DIRECTOR
Dean Burchell
to these great shows today!
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Jenn Dettmann jenn@bostonspiritmagazine.com
SUMMIT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Chris George, Michael Poulin
EDITORIAL CONTACT
CONTRIBUTING LIFESTYLE EDITOR
editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com
CONTRIBUTING ARTS EDITOR
PUBLISHING/SALES CONTACT
Scott Kearnan
Loren King
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tony Giampetruzzi, Mark Krone, Rob Phelps, Ricardo Rodriguez EDITORIAL INTERN Frankie Olito CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Joel Benjamin
COVER IMAGE by photographer Joel
Benjamin
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BostonSpiritMagazine.com TALK TO US Send comments, questions and encomia to feedback@bostonspiritmagazine.com
publisher@bostonspiritmagazine.com 781-223-8538
Boston Spirit magazine. A Division of Jake Publishing, LLC Published by Jake Publishing, LLC. Copyright 2004 by Jake Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written permission of Boston Spirit magazine. Neither the publishers nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The publishers accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, organization or business in this magazine does not reflect upon one’s sexual orientation in any way. Boston Spirit Magazine 398 Columbus Ave #395 Boston, MA 02116
Liza MinneLLi November 8
kathy griffin November 9 mature audieNce
SEP|OCT 2013
PreseNts
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Kathy Griffin Boston
‘It’s a dream audience: people who are smart and get your references,’ says gay fave comedienne of Bostonians
Happy 30th Club Café!
Our multiplex community center shows no signs of aging
Mayor Races Then and Now
The last open Boston campaign— 1983—was first time gays wooed
November 18, 2003
ARTS ARTS ARTS ARTS PREVIEW PREVIEW PREVIEW The day that changed the gay rights movement forever
Correction
PREVIEW
Lisa LaMpaneLLi december 14 mature audieNce
robin thicke march 1
In the September/October 2013 issue the photograph accompanying the story about SpeakEasy’s production of Tribes was mislabeled. The photo is of Annie Wiegand and not one of M. Bevin O’Gara. We regret the error.
For tickets, visit foxwoods.com l 800-200-2882
SPOTLIGHT Trends STORY Scott Kearnan
Hit List
NEWS, NOTES, AND TO-DOS FOR EVERY GAY AGENDA
BOOK A TRIP
SHARPEN YOUR NO 2 PENCIL and take note of the
New England private schools listed in the latest issue of Gay Parent magazine. (You will be tested!) The publication compiled its 15th annual list of over 100 LGBT-friendly private schools for kids of all ages, nearly a quarter of which were in our region: including Cambridge Friends School, Lexington Montessori School, and British School of Boston. To learn more, visit gayparentmag.com.
with Sweet, a luxury lesbian travel company specializing in socially conscious tourism. Sweet sends jet-setting women to exotic places, organizing community service opportunities (from stocking food pantries to painting schools) as part of the itinerary. The outreach gains positive headlines for queer folks even in traditionally inhospitable countries. (Cheers to Boston’s Liz Elia, lucky winner of a recent all-inclusive trip to Playa del Carmen that was doled out at Dyke Night.) Want to travel well and do good? Learn about November’s West Caribbean Cruise, March’s Mexican Riviera Cruise and other upcoming trips at discoversweet.com.
LEARN MORE
about events that led to the founding of the Cambridge Women’s Center and support the decade-inthe-making documentary Left on Pearl. Pearl is directed by
Susie Rivo and executive produced by several scholars and activists including Libby Bouvier, co-founder of The History Project, a New England LGBT history nonprofit. It tells the littleknown story of March 6, 1971, when hundreds of activists occupied a Harvard University building and declared it a women’s center for the day. Through recent interviews and archival footage, Pearl places that action in the context of Second Wave Feminism and queer politics, underscoring the role local lesbians played in the movement. Get the scoop (and donate to fund the film’s completion) at leftonpearl.org.
GRAB A TICKET
Left on Pearl
10 | BOSTON SPIRIT
for the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition’s 4th Annual Gala, and support one of Boston’s major organizations for LGBTQ people of color. The Saturday, November 9 gala at the South End’s Villa Victoria Center for the Arts will honor queer religion columnist Rev. Irene Monroe, young activist and Imperial Court of Western Mass. founder Nelson Roman,
and one of several nominated community organization (unannounced at press time.) For $30 tickets to the gala and after-party, visit hgbc-boston. org.
STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
with The Theater Offensive, Boston’s cutting-edge arts organization that will host Beyond the Stage on Thursday, November 21. Tickets are $50 for the event, held at the downtown offices of advertising giant Hill Holliday, and benefits Theater Offensive’s youth theater troupe True Colors. Enjoy a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres, meet the benefiting young performers and experience their talents firsthand. More info at thetheateroffensive.org.
SPOTLIGHT Dining STORY Scott Kearnan
[LEFT] Harry Collings, [MIDDLE] Chef Jason Santos, [RIGHT] Interior designer Taniya Nayak
Here Comes Harry’s
FAMILIAR 12_Layout 1 7/30/13 12:14 PM FACE Page 2
IN THE GAY COMMUNITY OPENS BACK BAY RESTAURANT Harry Collings is a man of many talents. He has been a city power broker, the former executive director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. He has been a vital community leader and longtime supporter of varied LGBT-related organizations, from Fenway Health to The Theater Offensive. And he has been a nightlife impresario, the force behind Boston’s once decade-running
gay party Buzz, and the city’s still-going Latin Night at Rumor. Now he’s added another title to his long resume: restaurateur. In October Collings opened Back Bay Harry’s at 142 Berkeley Street: a South EndBack Bay-straddling spot that was formerly home to a different gay-owned eatery,
17
Geoffrey’s Café. The space looks (and tastes) completely different, though, thanks to a dream team of partners that includes interior designer Taniya Nayak, the HGTV (House Hunters on Vacation) and Food Network (Restaurant: Impossible) personality behind several high-profile Boston restaurants, and star chef Jason Santos, the recognizable blue-haired toque who spent seven years in the kitchen of gay favorite Tremont 647 before scoring runner-up status on the reality hit Hell’s Kitchen. (Santos also currently commands the kitchen at the
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“ We want to be a neighborhood place where people come often and hang at the bar. ”
SPOTLIGHT Event STORY Scott Kearnan
Harry Collings Financial District’s Blue Inc. and Theater District’s Abby Lane.) Though “foodie” culture is a very different beast than the party circuit, Collings is confident his hospitality experience will turn Back Bay Harry’s into a prime social scene for the Hub’s LGBT community. “At the end of the day, it’s all the entertainment business,” says Collings. “Food is a piece of it. So is the staff, so is the music.” Indeed, Collings says the goal is to create a comprehensive vibe that appeals to after-work cocktailing crowds and late night noshing alike. Nayak completely renovated the 140seat space, giving it a huge new bar (complemented by a backlit 200-bottle wine rack), emphasizing its dramatic arched windows, and envisioning its décor as a casual-chic combo of contemporary and “old Hollywood” flourishes: think smoky mirrors, custom brass chandeliers, tufted teal banquettes and chevron tiled columns. Meanwhile Santos devised a menu of accessible but innovative plates, like oysters with “atomic horseradish”; manchego “cheese sticks” withEspelette mayo, serrano ham, black truffle honey, and smoked paprika almonds; buttermilk fried chicken with honey donuts; and Jack & Coke baby back ribs with apple relish and chipotle aioli. The chef says he’s excited for a return to the gayborhood. “The South End was the best place I ever worked,” says the chef. “I love that it’s eclectic. And I love gay clientele. I think they really know food, and while I can make a great hamburger and love a great hamburger, I’m excited to create cool stuff for people who will really appreciate what we do.” No dishes exceed $22, reflecting Collings’ desire to make the spot an affordable gathering joint. “We’re not a special occasions destination,” says Collings. “We
want to be a neighborhood place where people come often and hang at the bar.” So Back Bay Harry’s scored itself a 2 a.m. liquor license (Geoffrey’s could only serve until 1), plans to leave the kitchen open late, and will crank up the music after 11 p.m. to give the place a lively, celebratory vibe. But it is not going to be a nightclub, Collings assures, nor is it trying to compete with another gay establishment around the corner on Columbus Avenue. “The day I signed the lease I called up Frank [Ribaudo],” says Collings, referring to the founder of 30-year gay hotspot Club Café. “I told him we have no plans to ask for an entertainment license, and I want to be complementary for Club Café. We hope people will have dinner here, then go next door to dance and be entertained. Bringing more people to the block could be good for everybody.” Besides, Collings knows that the world has changed immeasurably since he came out at age 15. No longer relegated to the shadows, the gay community has seen much nightclub culture fizzle: replaced by a trendy restaurant scene that garners more mixed crowds. “When young people go out now, they don’t necessarily go to a gay bar,” says Collings. “I don’t think anyone would open up a sevenday-a-week gay establishment now, just because times have changed.” Collings hasn’t, though. Between his community presence and its proximity to the gayborhood, Back Bay Harry’s will definitely hit the spot for LGBT diners. “The gay community is a huge part of who I am, and I don’t want to lose that here,” says Collings. He just wants to add a little something extra to the menu. [x]
12 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Snow Job GAY SKI WEEK CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Grab some poles and hit the slopes: it’s ski season. If you’re not willing to wander too far from the city, nearby Wachusett Mountain, should do the trick. But for a little extra downtime, mark your calendar for January 22-26, when Winter Rendezvous will take over scenic Stowe, Vermont and bring to the resort town the 30th anniversary of the popular gay ski week. It’s not just for snow bunnies: a lineup of dance parties, live entertainment and other events will ensure there’s plenty of other activity warming up the icy mountain. Of course, superb Vermont skiing is the centerpiece of the Winter Rendezvous: from downhill dashing at Stowe Mountain Resort, home to the state’s highest peak, to cross-country treks at the Trapp Family Lodge, founded on property settled by the Austrian von Trapp family on which The Sound of Music is based. (Descendents still own it today, and a costumeoptional sing-along screening
is part of the Winter Rendezvous lineup.) Outdoorsy types will also find options for dog sledding, snow shoeing and sleigh rides. But there’s also an entertainment series offering different experiences at various Stowe venues nightly: including a “kick-off” party, climactic “blow-out” bash, and indoor pool party with DJ Harrison of Club Café’s Back 2 Basics Tea Dance. (Probably the only excuse you’ll have to break out a bathing suit in late January.) Add performances by the stud string quartet Well Strung and drag beauty shop quartet Kinsey Sicks, and you have a mountainous heap of excuses to hit the road, head north, and enjoy a gay ski week that will be the highlight of winter getaways: it’ll all be downhill after that. [SK]
For more info on Winter Rendezvous and to purchase packages (starting at $160), visit winterrendezvous.com.
Get ready.
Winter is just around the bend.
Stowe Job Must-Sees, Must-Stays, and Must-Dos in the Fabulous Vermont Resort Town From snow-covered mountains to roaring lodge hearths, Stowe has plenty to offer for a quintessential New England winter escape. Here are our picks for an itinerary.
Stay City slickers and the luxuryminded will love Stowe’s Topnotch Resort, a recently remodeled property that blends the charm and rustic details of a contemporary ski lodge with the kind of sleek, contemporary architecture featured on a Dwell cover, and chic-meets-simplelife décor in guest rooms, suites and overlook homes; plus there’s fantastic dining at on-site restaurants Flannel and The Roost, a pampering spa, and an indoor swimming pool and hot tub with waterfall. Just 15 minutes away in nearby Waterbury is Moose
Meadow Lodge, a gay-owned B&B in a luxury log cabin that overflows with antlers, wildlife taxidermy, and various backwoods bric-a-brac. You can also go “glamping” in the Lodge’s elaborate, sprawling two-story tree house, with 29 windows offering panoramic views of the forest and pond.
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Eat Indulge in farm-to-table dining at Crop, offering upscale takes on American bistro and pub fare that constantly changes to reflect what’s fresh and local; sip six craft beers made in its imported, Bavarian-constructed on-site brewhouse. (We also suggest a flight of German hopsmade lagers from the Trapp Lager Brewery.) Refined but unpretentious, Harrison’s Restaurant is a local favorite, and you’ll regret not riding by Blue Donkey for some of the biggest, best, and yes, sloppiest burgers in the Green Mountain State.
[ABOVE] Moose Meadow Lodge and Stowe Mountain Lodge [TOP] with views of Mt. Mansfield
Do Stop by the adorable antique shops and art galleries downtown. Check out the film screenings, musical artists and live theatrical events taking up residence at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. And visit gostowe. com for a lineup of daily events throughout town. [x]
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SPOTLIGHT Fine Art
Watershed MFA’S SARGENT EXHIBITION IS A MILESTONE John Singer Sargent, that masterful portrait painter of the Edwardian era, had deep and meaningful connections to Boston. It is here that you’ll find the few murals that he produced, including his largest scale works that adorn the Boston Public Library. And it was in Boston that Sargent, whose commission work for wealthy clients included seminal art patron Isabella Stewart Gardner, enjoyed his first solo exhibition at the St. Botolph Club in 1888. So it’s appropriate that the Hub would now host another
seminal show: John Singer Sargent Watercolors, recently unveiled at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and running through January 20, 2014. The exhibition, co-organized with the Brooklyn Museum, combines for the first time the two most significant collections of Sargent watercolors and includes over 90 works. The exhibition also celebrates one hundred years of the MFA’s Sargent watercolor holdings, acquired in 1912. (Sargent murals, commissioned by the museum for its then-new
Bedouins, Purchased by Special Subscription. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum, Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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Sargent was a lifelong bachelor, and it’s unclear whether his close bonds with gay contemporaries were romantic. building, also grace the MFA’s rotunda.) Though his artistic legacy is without dispute, Sargent’s personal life has long been a subject of greater conjecture. Many scholars have commented on his eroticization of male nudes, while others remark on the similar sensuality with which he treated the female form. Though many of his personal papers were destroyed after his death, Sargent was referred to as a “frenzied bugger” with a “notorious” sex life by painter Jacques-Emile Blanche, and he had intimate friendships with some of the era’s more
notable dandies like Henry James and Oscar Wilde; but Sargent was a lifelong bachelor, and it’s unclear whether his close bonds with gay contemporaries were romantic. Whether his erotic treatment of the male form reflects his sexuality or simply an artistic appreciation is still somewhat unclear, though there are some that place him in the pantheon of LGBT artists. Sleuths digging for clues to his identity probably won’t find much to work with in Watercolors. But they will find dozens of dazzling works created between 1902 and 1911, the artist’s apex. Though
his portrait work precedes him, these watercolors reflect Sargent’s breadth: there are plenty of colorful characters on display, but he also focused on landscape and leisure images captured during travels across the Swiss Alps, Spain and Portugal, Greece, Italy, Syria and Palestine. Sargent’s sexuality is still up for discussion: his rare talent, though, is on full display. [SK]
Tramp, Purchased by Special Subscription, Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum, Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Cashmere Shawl, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Hayden Collection— Charles Henry Hayden Fund, Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
SPOTLIGHT Theater Clockwise (seated on floor): Mike Meadors, Victor Shopov, Joey Pelletier, Mikey Diloreto, Mario Da Rosa Jr, Peter Brown, David Lutheran & Maureen Adduci (missing: Kyle Cherry) PHOTO by Joel W. Benjamin
Heart And Soul ZEITGEIST PRESENTS PASSIONATE LOOK AT THE EARLY AIDS CRISIS When it comes to the early days of the AIDS epidemic, everyone has a story. Everyone who lived through it, that is: fortunate survivors, friends and families of those that were lost, and political activists who came of age during one of the most excruciatingly difficult eras in gay history. Everyone who experienced the fear, the anxiety, and most significantly, the deep sadness has a tale to tell. The Normal Heart is Larry Kramer’s. Well, sort of: the Tony Award-winning play, presented by Zeitgeist Stage Company at the Boston Center for the Arts from November 1 through November 23, is a semi-autobiographical exploration by the famed author and LGBT activist. It returns to New York City circa 1981-1984, ground zero of the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis, as a group of friends struggle with the dawning reality of an epidemic — and grapple with different methods (outré activism or quieter 16 | BOSTON SPIRIT
tactics?) to mobilize an apathetic public and uncaring political system. Kramer, founder of organizations like the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and ACT UP, based many of the characters and their experiences on himself and friends and fellow activists. But the powerful story connects with anyone who continues to wonder how a culture could ignore a public health emergency with such callousness. And The Normal Heart meditates on the types of internal conflict that can arise within a community over its political tactics: struggles still relevant to contemporary gay culture, with regard to everything from equal marriage to trans rights. The Zeitgeist Stage Company’s production stars local actors Victor Shopov as Ned Weeks, a passionate activist representing Kramer, and Joey Pelletier as his lover Felix Turner. They’re characters that queer pop culture watchers will want to get familiar
[ABOVE] Victor Shopov plays Ned Weeks with Joey Pelletier [TOP] as his lover Felix Turner
with, if they’re not already: Glee creator Ryan Murphy is adapting The Normal Heart into a film, shot this summer in New York City, with Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer playing the couple. The Brad Pitt-produced flick also stars Julia Roberts and Alec Baldwin, and such high wattage star power aligning itself with the film’s message underscores the dramatic progress that has been made since 1985, when The Normal Heart premiered as an indictment of thensilent public outcry. But a more enlightened present was only made possible by the strong, brave hearts of the past — making Heart’s story as vital to hear now as the day it began beating. [SK] The Normal Heart
$25 tickets
zeitgeiststage.com
SPOTLIGHT Fashion
Local Gems LONG’S JEWELERS AD CAMPAIGN FEATURES MARRIED GAY COUPLES FROM NEW ENGLAND Long’s Jewelers has launched a new ad campaign geared to reaching the LGBT community and the locally owned and operated jeweler is using local couples as models in the ads. There are two different ads in the campaign. One features a lesbian couple and the other a gay male couple. The women, Julie and Paula Astl, were married in May of this year. The two met through mutual friends years ago and would see each other at different events every now and then. “I always remember Julie because she was so nice, so uplifting and always so happy. ... Of course, she was
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also very cute and had a face and personality that you just don’t forget,” said Paula. Years later — and a few relationships later — the two were re-introduced and decided to get together for dinner in Davis Square. “A few dates later, butterflies were flying around both of us and have been ever since!” she continued. The couple got engaged in July 2012 and just got married in May 2013. The men featured in the campaign are Ben and Adam Berry. Ben and Adam met in Provincetown seven years ago. Ben was working at the ice cream store at Spiritus Pizza — as well as
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“ We were overwhelmed by the number of couples who responded to the call for pictures. It was so difficult to choose only two couples ”
playing Romeo in the Shakespeare on the Cape production of Romeo and Juliet — while Adam was in town visiting a friend. The two had known about each other since 2003 due to a mutual friend Elliot who had always said “You have to meet this guy I know, Ben. You would be perfect for each other.” Although Adam was two hours late for their first date (a work problem), he was soon forgiven. “We had our first kiss at the end of the night and I knew then I had found my Romeo,” Adam recalled. This is not Adam’s first time in the pages of Boston Spirit. He appeared on the cover of the September 2012 issue in conjunction with an article on LGBT paranormal activity in New England. Adam stars on the SyFy channel’s Ghost Hunters television show.
Craig Rottenberg President of Long’s
Craig Rottenberg, President of Long’s, thinks the campaign does a great job of capturing the excitement of a wedding. “We are excited to make our latest Boston Spirit magazine campaign more personal by featuring real local Boston area
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couples in our ads! We were overwhelmed by the number of couples who responded to the call for pictures. It was so difficult to choose only two couples. We hope this is the beginning of a long-standing tradition of
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featuring happy Boston couples in our campaigns. There’s something special about a photograph of a genuine moment, especially the pure joy of a wedding.” [DZ]
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a message of
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from Dover Rug & Home
Every rug has a story to tell. But what kind of rug would you weave to tell the story of this year? 2013. All of our interlocking moments of sadness and of joy. Threads of eternal hope. Dreams of peace. A great national conversation about the future. The power of nature. The power of love to heal and to help. All the great ups and downs of our world. A story that, perhaps, can only be told in the symbols and traditions of the weaver. Spun naturally… as it is given. As any great story… an artist’s attempt to bring significance to our harried lives. Rumi, considered the greatest of all the great Sufi poets and mystics, had this to say - “Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing there is a field. Let’s meet there.” From all of us at Dover Rug & Home…our sincere wishes for a happy and loving holiday. Proud sponsors of
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SPOTLIGHT Numbers COMPILED Frank Olito
37
VISIT US ONLINE
NEW AND IMPROVED
States that still do not sanction same-sex marriage.
DAILY LGBT NEWS UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND MUCH MORE
Go Figure 1.4MM
325,000
Estimated LGBT Latino adult population in the United States. [Source: The Williams
Estimated LGBT Asian and Pacific Islander adult population in the United States.
Institute at UCLA School of Law]
60% of new HIV infections in the United States are men who have sex with men. [Source: The Open AIDS Journal, 2012, 6, as cited by the White House Office of Communications]
BostonSpiritMagazine.com
[Source: The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law]
Create a legacy for a world without cancer. Include Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund in your estate plans, and help support cutting-edge research and compassionate patient care for families like Meg and Carla.
10
2X
United Nations member states who released a joint declaration to end violence and discrimination against LGBT people: Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and United States.
African American same-sex couples have poverty rates more than twice the rate of different-sex married African Americans. [Source: The Williams
Institute at UCLA School of Law]
[Source: International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission]
Dana-Farber patient Meg (left) and her wife, Carla INVEST IN TOMORROW’S CURES TODAY Learn more: Alice Tobin Zaff, Director of Gift Planning 800-535-5577 • alice_zaff@dfci.harvard.edu
Dana-Farber.org/spirit
SPOTLIGHT News COMPILED staff
Word Is Out A talk by nationally known columnist and professor of philosophy John Corvino that was scheduled at Providence College was officially cancelled and then rescheduled, according to Associated Press. Providence is a Roman Catholic school and the provost Hugh Lena noted that the school announced that it would host a debate between Corvino and Princeton University Ph.D. student in philosophy Sherif Girgis, which would happen at a future date. Lena noted that Providence Collage, as a Catholic institution, was prohibited from honoring points of view at odds with official Church teaching. Lena further explained that holding a forum representing two sides fit better with the school’s academic freedom mission.
Long-time Boston Pride Committee President Linda DeMarco won the Abigail Adams award from the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus (MWPC). The Tribute to Abigail Adams award recognizes outstanding women leaders in Massachusetts.
Out former (alas, he lost the primary), U.S. congressional candidate Carl Sciortino launched an ad for his campaign to fill Senator Ed Markey’s empty seat in the U.S. House that went viral on YouTube. In it, Sciortino, who is openly gay, ‘comes out’ to his father (played in the commercial by his real father Carl Sciortino Sr.) as a liberal Democrat. Sciortino Sr. is a Tea Party supporter. The commercial is a clever play on the concept of ‘coming out’ to your parents. “I’ll never forget that conversation with my dad where I had to come out and tell him that I was a Massachusetts liberal,” says Sciortino Jr. in the ad. In a statement released by Sciortino Jr., he said, “My father and I disagree on just about everything. I am grateful that he was willing to appear in my TV ad even though he probably thinks he should be running against me.”
John Mitzel (1948-2013), long-time owner of the storied Boston gay bookstore Calamus, died in his sleep in the early morning of October 4 due to complications from throat cancer. When it comes to post-Stonewall gay activism in Boston, John Mitzel was there. He was there at the first organizing meeting of Gay Pride in 1971. He was there at the beginning of gay publications such as Fag Rag and Gay Community News. And there, too, when gay people turned to the courts in 1978, establishing the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD). He was also an early author of books primarily for the gay market.
The Massachusetts anti-LGBT group MassResistance recently launched a campaign selling anti-HRC stickers in an attempt to play on the traditional HRC logo containing two parallel lines (the symbol for equal). The sticker is a crudely rendered version of the HRC equality logo in lavender with a black, diagonal bar through it. A headline on the MassResistance website reads: “Tired of having the homosexual ‘equal’ sign always thrown in your face? Stick it back at them — and counter the gay agenda — with MassResistance’s stickers! Have some fun countering the ‘gay’ agenda.” [x]
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SPOTLIGHT Celebrate STORY Ricardo Rodriguez NAME: Sean Sullivan, Bartender WHERE: Drink (DrinkFortPoint.com)
Ricardo Recommends Drink Up!
DRINK: Tom & Jerry WHY:
“It’s the perfect holiday party drink because it’s warm and rich and boozy.” HOW: INGREDIENTS
THE BEST MIXOLOGISTS IN TOWN. THE BEST HOLIDAY DRINKS. FOR YOUR BEST PARTY EVER.
It is that time of year again! Time for merriment, parties, and for getting a bit tipsy. So to help you with your own plans I have asked some of the top mixologists in town (from some of the most beloved bars and restaurants) to offer us a selection of their best holiday concoctions. All delicious. All amazing. All unique. And all sure to make your holiday soiré an even bigger and more memorable event. Cheers!
2oz prepared Batter (see below) 1oz Cognac 1oz Aged rum Grated Nutmeg DRINK PREPARATION
Fill 7-8 ounce heat-resistant mug with boiling water. Allow mug to absorb heat from water for one full minute; discard water. Add 2 ounces batter* to mug. Gently fold in 1 ounce cognac and 1 ounce aged rum. Gently stir in 2 ounces hot milk. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. BATTER INGREDIENTS
12 Eggs (separated) 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 2 ounces Aged Rum 2lb Fine Sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground mace 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground clove BATTER PREPARATION
Whisk 12 egg whites cream of tartar into soft peaks. Reserve. Beat the 12 egg yolks with the aged rum. Slowly incorporate 2 pounds superfine sugar into the egg yolk mixture along with the ground spices. Gently fold whites into yolk mixture.
Ricardo Rodriguez Is a celebrated and award-winning real estate and lifestyle expert based in Boston. He regularly appears in local and national TV shows, contributes to various publications in the areas of real estate, home, living and fashion, and is a tireless advocate and supporter of many and various charitable causes.
[PHOTOGRAPHY] Joel Benjamin [HAIR STYLING] Sal Malafronte for Salon Mario Russo [MAKE-UP] Miguel Nicolau for Mizu Salon
26 | BOSTON SPIRIT
NAME: Katie Emmerson, Bar Manager
DRINK: Sherry Cobbler WHERE: The Hawthorne (TheHawthorneBar.com) WHY:
“It has simple and fresh ingredients and is low in alcohol so you can enjoy them all night long!”
Beautiful Wedding Cakes
speCial OCCasiOn and HOliday Cakes
& fine eurOpean pastries
HOW: DRINK INGREDIENTS
2 ounces La Gitana Manzanilla sherry 1/2 ounce Velvet Falernum liqueur 1/2 ounce Black Pepper & Cinnamon Infused Combier liqueur (see below) 4 Apple slices DRINK PREPARATION
Muddle apples in the Falernum and Combier Add sherry. Dry shake (without ice) and fine strain into a rock glass. Fill with crushed ice and garnish elaborately with fruits, mint, grated cinnamon and straw. BLACK PEPPER & CINNAMON INFUSED COMBIER PREPARATION
Add 75 grams of crushed cinnamon sticks and 10 grams crushed black pepper to one 750mL bottle of Combier. Fine strain after 2 hours.
781.849.1970 www.konditormeister.com
NAME: Andrew White, Bartender
WHERE: Back Bay Harry’s (BackBayHarrys.com)
DRINK: Don’t Kick My Pumpkin
WHY:
“Because the drink encompasses the flavors of fall/winter and can be served hot or cold.” HOW: DRINK INGREDIENTS
1.5 ounces Privateer amber rum 3/4 ounces EVOL spirits 1/4 ounces lemon juice 2 ounces roasted pumpkin syrup Crushed Pumpkin Pie crust for garnish. DRINK PREPARATION
Mix all ingredients and shake with ice. Double strain. Serve in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish one-quarter of glass rim with pumpkin pie crust.
NAME: Kobie Ali, Bartender DRINK: American Breed WHERE: Beat Hotel (BeatHotel.com) WHY:
“It’s like Fall in a glass — perfect adult cider to toast the holidays!”
we deliver
the river
HOW: DRINK INGREDIENTS
1.5 ounces Maker’s Mark 1 ounce St. Elder elderflower liqueur 3 ounces fresh apple cider Splash of simple syrup Sliced apple and mint for garnish DRINK PREPARATION
Build over ice in old fashioned glass. Shake with ice and serve. Garnish with sliced apple and mint sprig.
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BostonSpiritMagazine.com
NAME: Matthew Coughlin, Beverage Consultant
DRINK: Uva y Basilico WHERE: Cinquecento
(CinquecentoBoston.com)
WHY:
“The flavors from local grapes balanced with botanicals from the gin and mixed with basil make an overall deep flavored cocktail.”
HOW: DRINK INGREDIENTS
1.5 ounces gin 1 ounce Concord grape puree 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice 1/2 ounce basil cordial Grape cluster for garnish DRINK PREPARATION
Shake with ice. Serve in coupe glass with lime zest garnish and cluster of grapes.
136036_BOSCO_BostonSpiritNovDecAd_3.556x9.875.indd 2
10/16/13 3:05 PM
FEATURE History STORY Mark Krone
Gay Literary Great Resurrected A new biography revives Massachusetts’ John Horne Burns, the lauded author of post-WWII America, who died in ignominy John Horne Burns was on top of the world. It was 1947 and his book on World War II, The Gallery, was a smash hit. Gore Vidal told friends that Burns had beaten him to the punch in producing the first great book about the war. No less than Ernest Hemingway praised the book and its first-time author. At 31, Burns was the toast of literary America. Just seven years later, Burns was found dead in Italy. He was broke, friendless, dissipated from drink, and artistically dried up. Despite local author John Mitzel’s 1974 biography, John Horne Burns: An Appreciative Biography, he is all but forgotten today. A recent New York Times story suggested that Burns was the “the great [gay] novelist you’ve never heard of.” This is why readers of David Margolick’s new biography, Dreadful: The Short Life and Gay Times of John Horne Burns (Other Press, 2013), will respect his careful, fluid account for its own sake but will also be grateful that an important, if brief, literary life is saved from oblivion. Burns came from an upper-middle class Irish Catholic family in Andover. His mother, Catherine, was a Smith graduate who suspected she had married beneath her “lace-curtain” status even though her husband, Joseph, was a Harvard-trained
lawyer. Catherine doted on her oldest son from the start. Indeed, it seemed John and his mother stood apart from the rest of the family, poking fun at them while winking to each other. Perhaps it was this example, set early in life, which caused John to take the outsider’s role of critic, never able to fully join any group. The brittle protection
his passion for music and literature but Burns was not popular with everyone. He ignored students who bored him and snubbed his fellow teachers whom he saw as minnows in a very small fish bowl. Burns could be verbally cruel. Gore Vidal would later call him “a monster.” Burns was drafted in 1941 and although he and his family were pacifists, he was happy to leave Loomis. At first, he was stationed in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Burns was surrounded by young men and his sex life improved dramatically. He wrote letters to a gay student he had become close to at Loomis, David MacMackin, regaling him with stories of life in the service including his sexual liaisons with gay men, whom Burns referred to in jocular code as “dreadfuls.” Burns was soon shipped overseas and after a couple of stops, landed in Naples. Fluent in Italian, Burns’s assignment was to monitor the outgoing mail of Italian prisoners of war to detect covert intelligence. As the war wound down, Burns fell in love with Naples and its people whose dignity amid the ruins of war provided the inspiration for The Gallery.
After The Gallery was published to rave reviews, Burns suddenly found himself the writer of the moment at a time when novelists enjoyed the acclaim that movie directors have today. But with the accolades came the pressure to produce another hit book
32 | BOSTON SPIRIT
of the sarcastic barb made from the sidelines was a well-known coping technique of some gay men of the time (and even today). After graduating from Harvard in 1937, Burns knew he wanted to write but work was a necessity and he found a teaching post at the Loomis School in Windsor, Connecticut. Some students admired
The hit book consisted of nine portraits of men and women whose common thread is a connection to the Galleria Umbreto Primo in Naples, a majestic shopping arcade with a glass roof that was mostly shot out by Allied bombs. GI’s passed through the Galleria everyday as many Neapolitans did — to shop, meet for espresso, or for intimate assignations in its dark corners. The portraits included frank yet matter-of-fact descriptions of gay men and lesbians. The most notable was of “Momma,” who ran a gay bar for GI’s in one of the storefronts in the Galleria. After The Gallery was published to rave reviews, Burns suddenly found himself the writer of the moment at a time when novelists enjoyed the acclaim that movie directors have today. But with the accolades came the pressure to produce another hit book. Burns moved to Boston’s West End to write and to frequent nearby gay bars in Scollay Square. His second novel, Lucifer With a Book was a searing satire of prep school life whose characters
“omnibus of depravity.” According to David Margolick, “Burns had made himself a target, by being bitchy both in Lucifer With A Book and in his general behavior.” After spending the day on a boat with his lover and friends, Burns suffered a severe form of sun poisoning which landed him in the hospital. He died several days later. Did he want to die? Ernest Hemingway Margolick does not think so: were closely based on his former Loomis “Though Burns was slowly killing himself colleagues. The book bombed with the with drink, I don’t think he wanted to die … critics who called it petty and poorly writhe wanted desperately to write something ten. Burns was devastated by the critical great again. … Even the tone of his last reaction and he fled to Italy, this time to letter, describing the relish with which Florence. he was cooking and eating at his seaside Day after day Burns could be seen resort, suggests he still very much enjoyed drinking at the bar in the Excelsior Hotel life.” in Florence, looking straight ahead and When Ernest Hemingway heard about rarely speaking to anyone. He had always Burns’s death, he wrote to a friend, “There been a heavy drinker but now it became a was a fellow who wrote a fine book and daily habit. Burns did manage to publish then a stinking book about a prep school a third book, A Cry of Children. This time, and then just blew himself up.” [x] the critics savaged the book. Charles Lee in The Saturday Review called it an
“ There was a fellow who wrote a fine book and then a stinking book about a prep school and then just blew himself up. ”
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FEATURE Music STORY Scott Kearnan
Alternative Lifestyle Underground sounds. Queer sensibilities. An inclusive embrace. A new generation of queer DJs are going back to the future. For decades, the gay community has seen its reflection in the mirror ball. Gay bars and clubs have often served as a microcosm of our culture, showcasing where the community stands in relation to the larger society. After all, it was the raids and riots of Stonewall that catalyzed the modern LGBT rights movement in 1969. The vogue houses of the 1980s were informed by the unique experiences of queer people of color. And the ‘90s peak of the circuit party scene embodied that era’s style of ritualized community celebration. In one sense, things are no different today; you can still look to the gay clubs to take the temperature of the social climate.
34 | BOSTON SPIRIT
As for what you see? If you’re past your prime time of club hopping, things might look pretty different from when you last stepped on the dance floor. Sure, there are still a (smaller) number of exclusively gay clubs that specialize in mainstream pop and Top 40 remixes: many are as packed and popular as ever. But there’s also a new generation of Hub-based DJs who are meeting club-goers’ demand for greater diversity—in sound, style, and the constitution of crowds. Because many younger queer partygoers are increasingly gravitating toward alternatives to the (ironically) now-traditional forms of alternative nightlife: they want mixed parties and underground sounds, places where party people are united as much by a common appreciation for niche music styles as by a common sexual orientation or gender identity. Look beyond the welltrod confines of the Theater District and South End, and you’ll find more bohemian-friendly hangouts popping up in Somerville, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain and Allston. Many of these parties are led by some of Boston’s most talented young DJs,
While the Stonewall 2.0 generation is grateful for an increasingly LGBTfriendly culture there’s an urge to embrace the gay club world’s roots as trendsetting laboratories where underground music and culture is fostered. boast some of the city’s most inclusive crowds, and play some of its most progressive sounds. Yet in many ways, this forward thinking approach harks back: to a form of gay clubbing that the youngest people on the party scene never actually got to experience. “The macro style large venues have become highly commercialized and
DJ Nate Bluhm PHOTO Mike Howard
NOV|DEC 2013 | 35
DJ Joseph Colbourne PHOTO Gina Manning
commodified,” says DJ Joseph Colbourne, one of the most popular DJs in queer nightlife and veteran of the former FOXY parties. “I don’t want to knock that, because there’s a place for it. But I think over the past five years or so we’re seeing a demand for an underground element that takes things back to the way they used to be.” While the Stonewall 2.0 generation is grateful for an increasingly LGBT-friendly culture and the strides made toward equal rights, they also crave something that is harder to come by in a world where every Disneybred pop diva is looking to gift her tween-age fans with the next gay anthem: edge. There’s an urge to embrace the gay club world’s roots as trendsetting laboratories where underground music and culture is fostered. In fact, Colbourne and his fellow FOXY
co-founder DJ Nate Bluhm are readying to launch a new disco-funk series, inspired in part by David Mancuso’s legendary Loft parties in New York. “I think people want an exciting connection to their own culture again,” says Colbourne. “A place where it isn’t so cool to be just like everybody else. Maybe we don’t want to be like straight people. And by straight, I don’t mean heterosexual: I mean straight from the cookie-cutter.” “The alternative scene is growing very quickly. For so long there has been only a single option for gay and queer people looking to mingle: the top 40 mainstream,” says DJDrasher, co-founder of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, a monthly (last Saturdays) party at Great Scott in Allston. The party’s motto, “All Are Welcome Who Welcome All,” embodies its
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embrace of mixed crowds; if you’re looking for a sea of shirtless white Adonis clones dancing to Katy Perry, look elsewhere. Here you’ll find a motley crew of funky, artsy twenty-something queers (and some straights too) grooving in eclectic threads to experimental background videos. And you’ll hear a wide mix of sounds: from electro to hip-hop, classic house to newly birthed genres like Moombahton. (Never heard of it? That’s why you need to go.) Of course, that’s not to say you won’t hear the occasional Top 40 track at an alternativeoriented party, says DJ Nate Bluhm, who has experience spinning at both mainstream venues (he was once resident DJ at martini Mecca 28 Degrees) and at his own more subversive soirees: like “Soft & C*nt” on November 10 at Middlesex Lounge, where he’ll
“ As a young adult in the gay scene, I was always disappointed not only with the limited palate of music being played, but the exclusivity of the parties. It was always ‘Latino night,’ ‘Dyke night,’ [etcetera]. ” DJ Diver DADT co-founder
spin house, hip hop and world music with Soul Clap’s Eli G. But, says Bluhm, the emphasis at these events is on serving crowds something more than played-out radio remixes that already dominate the glossy gay clubs. “I remember being 18, hearing great songs, and not knowing what they were yet. But that’s what kept me going back—to find out,” says DJ/ producer Justin Cameron,
a staple on the decks under his moniker, Blk.Adonis. (He guests at nights like DADT, and regularly spins Tuesday at Zuesday, a five-year running party at ZuZu in Cambridge.) Cameron fondly recalls some of the edgier options where he immersed himself in Boston queer nightlife: from nowdefunct parties like Start and Blackout Bar to full-on clubs that catered to the underground, like Cambridge’s long
lost Manray. These are spots where a lot of alt-leaning gay DJs, especially those who are now in their late twenties and thirties, once partied. So they’re bringing a similar sensibility—innovative music paired with come-as-you-are attitude—to a whole new crop of queer-minded soirees. And there are no bigwig promoters involved in these events; they typically launch, play, and market the nights themselves as labors of love. For that reason, they often gravitate toward venues with considerably less capacity than the big room Avalon days of yore. Jamaica Plain’s Milky Way is a popular spot for many, like La Boum, a queer ‘80s/’90s dance party on the first Monday of the month, and Boyfriends, a mix of modern indie and vintage pop on third Fridays. Cambridge is a popular spot too; for instance, the
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new wave and glam pop of Videodrome Discotheque dominates Oberon one Friday every month, bringing retro concepts like recurring Madonnathemed parties. Each of these dance parties has its own unique identity. But there are a few commonalities between them that contrast greatly with more widely known nights at major venues like The Estate and House of Blues. Expect lower covers, cheaper drinks, and smaller dance floors that stay packed, sweaty, and sexy. And not only is the music more diverse, the crowds are too. That’s the point. “As a young adult in the gay scene, I was always disappointed not only with the limited palate of music being played, but the exclusivity of the parties,” explains DJ Diver, who co-founded DADT. “It was
always ‘Latino night,’ ‘Dyke night,’ [etcetera].” Now you’re more likely to see queers of all stripes mix more readily, say many, lured by a common interest in the party’s music and vibe. And whereas once upon a time the average straight person might not be caught dead in a gay club, younger scenes are also attracting a stronger element that is straight, or at least fluid, and at ease with the LBGT community. “If a night wasn’t explicitly advertised as an LGBT night, I wouldn’t feel as comfortable kissing a guy on the dance floor,” admits 25 year-old DJ Brian Derrick, who spins everywhere from Machine to Club Café. Sure, he says, there’s still a reason why gays seek gay clubs. Still, “I don’t think ten years ago my lady friend’s boyfriend who loves dance music would be
“ I don’t think ten years ago my lady friend’s boyfriend who loves dance music would be okay going to a gay bar to hear me spin,” he says. “Yet that happens now. That says a lot. ” DJ Brian Derrick okay going to a gay bar to hear me spin,” he says. “Yet that happens now. That says a lot.” Of course, as the greater culture has become more accepting, it makes sense that would be reflected in the club world. But there’s another, on-trend reason more mixing might occur; electronic dance music (EDM), which has never seen its popularity wane in the gay clubs, has recently become the mainstream genre du jour
thanks to heavyweight DJs like Calvin Harris and Avicii. The trickle down effect might be that young, straight music fans are becoming more acclimated to nightlife experiences (from major music festivals to smaller underground dance nights) that already attract a big gay following. “What was once considered a genre mainly followed by the LGBT community, in America anyway, is now more
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DJ Brian Derrick mainstream than I would have dreamed of,” says Derrick. “If you had asked me in 2004 if
what I was listening to would be on Top 40 radio or at festivals attended by the biggest
douche bags at my high school, now wearing neon pink, I have laughed and called you crazy. “It’s weird that the people I felt so different from once upon a time are now listening to the exact type of music that I used to get away from them in high school!” Still, when it comes to encouraging inclusive crowds, there are other areas in which the scene has a ways to go. “I was doing an event the other day, and the promoter said to me, ‘Can we lighten things? It’s getting dark in here,’” recalls DJ Jamila Wilson, who as a queer woman of color has experienced unique resistance in the club world: whether being passed over to spin some of the larger women’s events, or deflecting requests for mainstream tunes with shades of misogyny—or performed by artists who trade in cultural
appropriation. (Lady Gaga, here’s looking at you.) But while Boston “has a long way to go,” she says she’s heartened to see that younger generations of queer clubbers are taking steps in the right direction. And like all her fellow DJs for whom inclusiveness of all kinds is a greater priority, she hopes her work can contribute to a future with fewer borderlines on the dance floor. ”When I see that one person whose friends dragged her out to the club—if I can get her to dance I’ve done my job,” says Wilson. “Because when you’re dancing and you feel good, for a moment you’ve forgotten about race and class. All that is gone. “Suddenly, the crowd is unified.” [x]
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NOV|DEC 2013 | 39
Couple Christian Stanley and Patrick Buzzell PHOTO Joel Benjamin
40 | BOSTON SPIRIT
FEATURE Couples STORY Rob Phelps
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and the ‘Magnetic Couple’ Local celeb couple preaches the virtues of an HIV-poz and -neg relationship Christian Stanley and Patrick Buzzell have a lot to be thankful for this year. With the fall of DOMA, Patrick can now sponsor his Venezuelan-born husband Christian for U.S. citizenship. The Boston couple, with their beloved pet ferret Sophia, have settled into a comfortably stylish South End apartment within walking distance of jobs they love. Calling himself “something of a jack of all trades,” Christian is a photographer, a personal trainer and the store manager for the new G-Star Raw clothing store on Newbury Street. Patrick is a private health coach with a certificate from the Institute of Integrated Nutrition and a registered respiratory therapist working at Boston Medical Center and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Over the past several years, the two have worked hard on themselves, their relationship and their sobriety. Christian is four years in recovery from crystal meth addiction, Patrick six years from alcohol. Together, both men have reached a place in their lives where they’re eager to talk about their personal battles and triumphs, especially if their stories can help others avoid or overcome similar obstacles. The two are also a “magnetic couple.” Christian is HIV positive and Patrick is HIV negative. Christian tested positive seven years ago. He told Patrick on their first date. The couple met at the Boston Pride block party in 2009 when both were single and neither looking for a partner. They had fun
at the party and then it was time to get to know each other a little better. “It sounds so cliché,” Patrick says, “but when you’re not looking you find him. When you meet the right one, you just know it.” “I needed to set the foundation,” Christian says. “I needed to know that if I was going to be with someone he needed to know who I was. Some people say ‘I’m not my disease’ but I don’t agree with that completely. I’m not my disease but my disease is a huge part of my life. To say I’m not HIV, well, I am the face of HIV.”
“ It sounds so cliché, but when you’re not looking you find him. When you meet the right one, you just know it. ” Patrick Buzzell Patrick says he was as prepared for the news as anyone can be. “I’ve dated so many losers that’s not even going to be a blip on my radar of why I don’t date someone,” he says. “When he told me, I was okay. Yes, he’s the face of HIV, but I am too now, because it affects me personally.” For the past year, Patrick has been participating in a PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) compliance study through Boston’s Fenway Institute.
In the study, Patrick takes a daily dose of the anti-retroviral medication Truvada, one pill every night. He documents his compliance to the regiment using a special mobile phone app developed by the study’s research team, Dr. Kenneth Mayer, medical research director and co-chair of the Institute, affiliated investigators and Steve Safren and Matthew Mimiaga. Patrick also meets regularly with counselors who further document his day-to-day life. Gradually, the results are showing how well this recent breakthrough in the fight against AIDS is working for Patrick, Christian and potentially countless others, partnered or single, gay or straight. Back in 2007-10, Fenway was one of two sites in the United States that took part in an international study conducted by the National Institutes of Health to test the efficacy of this new method of HIV prevention. At the end of that study, only 44 percent of the study’s participants remained negative, says Dr. Mayer. But a closer look at the blood work, Mayer quickly adds, revealed something more promising. Most of the men who seroconverted in that early study had not taken their meds regularly and the researchers had the blood work to prove it. They also had the blood samples of those who took their meds regularly. According to a 2012 report from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Among [those] with detectible levels of the medication in their blood, the risk of HIV acquisition was reduced by more than 90 percent.” The study had two messages, says Dr. Mayer: “Overall the pills work and when taken regularly the pills work extremely well.” This good news resulted in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Truvada “for daily use by uninfected
[CONTINUES 80] NOV|DEC 2013 | 41
SEASONAL Gift Giving STORY Scott Kearnan
Merry and Gay A GIFT GUIDE
Need some last-minute shopping inspiration? Whether you’re popping the question or just stuffing a stocking, we have some gay gift ideas for you.
You may need to surreptitiously steal her sizing, but here’s a gift that will perfectly suit a style-conscious woman on your shopping list: a bespoke piece from Saint Harridan, a brand offering classic menswear-style suits, dress shirts, and formal accessories with tailoring adapted to a female form. From pretty and polished to Dietrich dapper and haute handsome, how you tailor the look for your loved one is totally up to you. (Prices vary; saintharridan.com)
You could blow your budget on a few designer duds on Newbury Street. Or you could stretch those dollars further (like, right into the arms of a vital community organization) and walk away overflowing bags of similar stylish stuff. Gift your loved ones garments from Boomerangs: Special Edition, the South End boutique that benefits AIDS Action Committee. This curated consignment shop veers toward higher-end fashion than the Cambridge and Jamaica Plain locations, so you’ll find clothing and accessories that even your most beloved label whore will be very merry to receive. (1407 Washington St; shopboomerangs.com)
It was a good year for Cyndi Lauper: her Broadway debut Kinky Boots took home the Tony Award for Best Musical, and she became the first woman to score a solo win for Best Score. The Kinky story of an inspiring friendship between a struggling shoemaker and his drag queen muse is certainly in concert with the Christmas spirit. If you can’t snag tickets to the show, score the soundtrack album ($11.39; bn.com) as a stocking stuffer. Pair it with a bottle of Kinky Liqueur, the show’s sponsor vodka with fruit infusions, available at liquor stores around town.
42 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Remember that time you “revoked” your pal’s “gay card” for missing Pride brunch? ‘Tis the season of forgiveness: give it back, and gift them with a Go Out Loud membership card. Got Out Loud is the LGBT social events and networking collective of the North Shore, and their membership card offers immediate discounts to a rapidly growing list of 150+ gay-friendly merchants in the region: from florists and pet shops to restaurants and salons. It’ll pay for itself in a week, the way your friends spend their paychecks. ($55 per year; gooutloud.com)
Long’s Fine Jewelers has unveiled some world-class pieces for fall and winter, from classic diamond pieces by Oscar Heyman and Hulchi Belluni to masculine military timepieces by Bell & Ross. But our favorite might be the personalized Heather Moore globe charm, a gorgeous rock of Earth-shaped gold that can be customized with diamonds embedded in the places throughout the world that are important to you and your loved one. Your first vacation spot? Make it sparkle. The place you met? Make it shine. It’s a creative, personalized gift unlike anything else we’ve seen in the big, wide world. (Contact for pricing; longsjewelers.com)
Long’s Fine Jeweler’s
If you’re part of the one percent, Monopoly makes sense on family game night. But if you’d rather something where everyone wins, Boom Boom! Cards is a toy worth tucking under the tree. Each deck from the lesbian-founded company features a different act of kindness to perform: like putting extra money in an expired parking meter. Then you can record your card’s ID number online, pass it forward to a stranger, and track the “guerilla act of goodness” as it spreads the spirit of the holidays all year long. (Decks start at $9.99; boomboomcards.com)
Stereotypes can be infuriatingly offensive or excruciatingly funny, depending on the intent and delivery. We defy you not to laugh at this pithy humor book, a great gag gift for a gay Yankee swap. Stuff That Makes the Gay Heart Weep runs through 150 snarky entries of community dislikes: “Sarah Palin,” “Couples Who Dress Alike,” “Watching Madonna From the Nosebleed Seats,” “That Angelina Jolie Is Not Gay.” It’s the uproariously good-natured version of every catty dinner party conversation. Trust us: tears will run. ($18.23; bn.com)
Stores are flooded with holiday-inspired scented candles. But really, no one’s home should smell like a cheap gingerbread house. For a tasteful whiff of the holiday spirit, gift someone with a selection from NEST Fragrances’ Elton John Collection. The piano man’s Holiday Classic candle offers a sparkling seasonal combo of evergreen, fir needles and rich woods. New this year is the Fireside candle, casting the cozy aroma of vanilla, smoky embers and juniper berry. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which makes us glow inside. ($38; shop.nestfragrances.com)
The holidays are a popular time to pop the question. If you’re planning to give the gift of a lifetime (literally), check out Proposition Love Fine Jewelry. The married men behind this brand have “EnGAYgement rings” and wedding bands that will fit every budget like a charm, and incorporate traditional materials like gold, platinum and diamond into contemporary designs. There are even limited editions designed by celebrities like Kathy Griffin and Perez Hilton (proceeds benefit LGBT charities), and the “Countdown Collection” with bands symbolizing each state that legalizes equal marriage: like firstin-the-nation Massachusetts, seen here. (Prices range; propositionlove.com)
NOV|DEC 2013 | 43
L. Frank Baum created a magical world with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a universe that (thanks to its film adaptation and a certain iconic Judy Garland song) became part of the visual lexicon of both mainstream Hollywood and gay culture. To coincide with the film’s 75th anniversary, the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine is exhibiting The Wonderful World of Oz: Selections from the Willard Carroll/Tom Wilhite Collection. Gay film producer Carroll has the largest privately owned Oz memorabilia collection in the world, and in honor of the commemorative exhibition give the Oz fan on your list his book, I, Toto: The Autobiography of Terry, the Dog who was Toto. It’s a hilarious (but informative) firstperson account from the perspective of the film’s smallest, furriest actor. ($17.80; bn.com)
Holidays aren’t an excuse to abandon edgy style for Frosty the Snowman neckties and reindeer antler headbands. Behold: the “bohemian chic meets Park Avenue” style of Joseph Dukeman jewelry. The gay designer creates sexy, provocative pieces using silver strands, silk cords, antique beads and glistening gems: from chunky statement rings to Madonna-goes-Manray necklaces with crosses and pendants, perfect for layering. We especially love his recurring skull motif, incorporated in splurge items (this oxidized silver ring with black diamonds, $1595). They’re the perfect gift for a fierce fashionista. (josephdukeman.com)
44 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Fans know Lauren Bedford Russell from Showtime’s The Real L Word; now fashion lovers can reap the rewards of the femme fatale’s off-camera work. Russell launched her unisex jewelry line, Lyon Fine Jewelry, using a family name that signifies strength and pride: and your lucky recipient will definitely feel like Wonder Woman conquering West Hollywood in these superstar-chic Equality Bracelets, which range from cool corded styles to gold and leather cuffs. 15 percent of sales benefit the Human Rights Campaign, so this rocking wrist accessory lends a helping hand, too. ($85 and up; lyonfinejewelry.com)
It’s the holidays, which means you’re probably going to be popping some corks and sipping some bubbly. So stock up on party favors: Egalite is a sparkling wine that launched this year and bills itself as the “first nationally distributed wine created in support of LGBT equality.” The crémant has notes of peach and honey with a crisp, dry finish, and pairs well with any New Year’s Eve party you’re planning to attend. Plus, a portion of proceeds benefit pro-LGBT organizations, which is something wholly separate to celebrate. ($24.99; wine.com)
Pheromone fragrances are nothing new. Many companies have tried to bottle those catalytic chemicals so that consumers can spritz themselves with supplemental sex appeal. But few have taken same-sex attraction into account. So we’re loving the minds behind Alpha Dream, a line of pheromone fragrances with formulas intended for LGBT people: l’Uomo Amore is designed to promote erotic attraction between men; Donna Amore is a girl-seeking-girl scent; and they’ve just released Exotique, a first-ofits-kind formula designed for transwomen who want to turn men on. Buy some bottles, and help some stockings get stuffed. ($54.50; alpha-dream.com)
It’s fine enough to slap your politics on your car bumper, letting the one person directly behind you at the tollbooth know: Gay on Board. But it can have even more impact to widely wear an identity on your sleeve (literally) with apparel from the Human Rights Campaign store. Support the org and help a friend look sporty by gifting this stylish track jacket ($55) emblazoned with the ubiquitous equal sign, or give your lover something evocative: like this trendy painted heart t-shirt designed by Alex and Chloe ($35). Rights on. (hrc.org)
Holidays (and birthdays, and anniversaries) include an extra challenge when you’re LGBT. By the time you weed out all the Hallmark cards that feature opposite-sex couples, you’re left with the dregs of the CVS aisle: generic bad jokes and annoying cards that play tinny renditions of “My Heart Will Go On.” That’s why we love Proudly Yours, a line of gay greeting cards that actually reflect our lives. The gorgeous photos of same-sex couples can suit nearly any romantic occasion; they’re perfect for accompanying a present, or give a few as a stationery-style gift set. ($3 each; proudlyyours.com)
HRC
With a book title like Blood, Marriage, Wine & Glitter, author S. Bear Bergman had a whole lot of Awesome to live up to. He does. The trans activist, educated at Massachusetts’s Concord Academy and one of the founders of that school’s first-in-the-nation GSA, travels the country speaking on issues related to gender politics. But in this essay collection Bergman pays especial attention to the notion of family, tackling the experiences of a queer parent and discussing the evershifting shape of the modern unit with humor and heart. The bookworm on your list will thank you. ($14.40; bn.com)
This year, give good face. (We’re not referring to vogue dance skills.) The gift of refreshing serums, “kleansing lotions”, moisturizers and “face skrubs” from skincare brand Skoah will have your excited recipient glowing like a yuletide. (One that looks ten years younger and has filled in plenty of fine lines.) Grab a selection of staple products, the holiday hand wash and body lotion, or a gift card for a facial at the Back Bay or South End Skoah spas run by husbands Jay Judas and Pete Dziedzic, former chair of MassEquality’s board of directors. (Prices range; skoah.com)
NOV|DEC 2013 | 45
Marriage, Divorce & Parentage In this Post-Goodridge, Post-Windsor World LISA M. CUKIER Partner and member of the Firm’s Private Client Group lcukier@burnslev.com l 617.345.3471
This summer we celebrated the start of the disintegration of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). In the case, United States v. Windsor, the US Supreme Court struck down a portion of DOMA, ruling that gay couples living in the states that recognize their marriage are entitled to receive federal benefits. At that time we also reflected on and reveled in the progress that has been made across the nation since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling on November 18, 2003, that granted same-sex couples the right to marry in Massachusetts. Now, at the decade anniversary of Massachusetts’ landmark Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, we celebrate the Windsor decision for securing federal recognition of same-sex marriages in marriage equality states, of which there are 13* plus the District of Columbia. While Massachusetts and the other marriage equality states have their fingers on the pulse of equal rights, there
are still 35 non-recognition states where marriages by same-sex couples are not permitted and that will not recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who arrive to the jurisdiction holding marriage certificates from marriage equality states. So before you pop the cork, understand that same-sex couples who marry in marriage equality states and move to non-recognition states still cannot rely on state-to-state portability of their marriages, and are still denied the full panoply of state and federal rights, benefits, protections and obligations available to different-sex couples who marry. The Windsor decision, while monumental, did not mark an end to the work that needs to be done to ensure marriage equality. Lack of portability impacts spousal laws aimed at preventing spousal impoverishment through support rights, protection for elders, protection for widows and widowers, and protection
from creditors. Lack of portability impacts priority in decision making for one’s spouse, the ability to access fundamental state laws that turn on recognition of marriage such as divorce, parentage, custody rights, child support obligations, adoption, estate planning, estate distribution rights, and spousal estate election rights. Of course health insurance, taxation, immigration, Social Security, Veterans Assistance and other federal benefits, just to name a few, are impacted. As of the writing of this article, we have yet to hear definitively from the multitude of federal agencies that provide protections to married couples, the basis on which those agencies will determine whether a couple who married in a marriage equality state but relocated to or visited a non-recognition state will be recognized as married for the purpose of recognizing the marital relationship and granting federal benefits. Time will
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tell whether the federal agency will base its decision on state of celebration of the marriage or state of residence when the benefits are requested. Consider but a few shocking realities of non-portability: If your parentage is dependant on state law statute and is based on your marriage, and then you move to a non-recognition state, you may not be recognized as the parent of your child and may thus not have custody rights nor child support obligations. If you die without a will in a non-recognition state, your spouse and children may have no right to inherit from you or your family, and your assets will pass by state intestacy statute to your next of kin, who could be your parents and/or your siblings. If your marriage sours and you need a divorce while you reside in a non-recognition state, you will not be able to divorce unless you reestablish residence in a marriage equality state for the duration of time required by statute to establish jurisdiction for divorce in that state (in Massachusetts, the period of time is one year). If you are the less wealthy spouse, or perhaps a non income-earning spouse, you may find yourself impoverished and without any right to spousal support. Nothing is more important than the protection of our families – however we build, develop and define our families – as we progress into the next post-Goodridge decade in the new postWindsor world. So if nothing else, and regardless of which state you live in, consider the following two legal tools to protect yourself and your family: 1. Prenuptial/Postnuptial Agreements: These independent contracts guide the distribution of the couple’s assets in the event of death, separation or
divorce. Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are undoubtedly more important for gay couples given the lack of portability across state lines. While these agreements are intended to address marital finances, they can be used to provide an expression of the couple’s recognition of the non-biological parent as a parent to children born of the marriage. While these agreements cannot guarantee a right or ability to divorce, they can speak to a mechanism to fairly and quickly dissolve the relationship. And while a prenuptial agreement cannot override federal tax law, it can be used to highlight uncertainties in application of the marital and divorce tax schemes and can require the spouses to revisit terms of the agreement if manifest unfairness results due to changes of law. 2. Parentage and Adoption: Custody and support provisions of our laws apply so long as both parents are “legal parents” of each of their children. Consider how your children were brought into the world since that threshold question will determine recognition of your parentage. If your children were born during your marriage, they are considered, in Massachusetts, for example, to be children of the marriage. As such, there is a presumption of legitimacy of the child and a presumption of parentage by both spouses in Massachusetts, even if only one parent has the biological connection to the child. If you relocate to a non-recognition state, however, your marriage may be disregarded and your parentage denied if your parentage turns on state recognition of your marriage. Thus you need to legally adopt your children to be safe. Valid decrees of
adoption are recognized and given full faith and credit across borders. There is so much more for gay couples to consider when it comes to marital planning and family planning than simply planning the wedding. Marriage equality is so long overdue and we are so acculturated to not even expect it or believe it to be something we will witness in our lifetimes, that as a community, we celebrate crumbs of partial equality while shutting our eyes to the fact that on the flip side of each crumb of partial equality is deeper entrenchment into culturally sanctioned discrimination and further entrapment within the confines of second class status. Celebrate Windsor, of course, but do not forget that the right to participate in federal marital protections in marriage equality states means that the contrast of non-recognition of our marriages across state lines will be ever more painfully poignant. We waited for the US Supreme Court to decide Windsor, and we wanted to be lulled into the false belief that Windsor would solve our marriage inequality problem. But Windsor did not do that. And the propensity to feel false security and to forebear from undertaking prophylactic steps to ensure family security has never been higher. * New Jersey Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson ruled on September 27, 2013 that the state must allow same-sex couples to marry beginning October 21, 2013. At the time of the writing of this article, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is appealing the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
This article by Burns & Levinson LLP provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. All views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Boston Spirit Magazine. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
burns & levinson’s lgbt group Top (left to right): Ellen J. Zucker - Employment Law, Business Litigation, White Collar Criminal Defense Timothy J. Famulare - Real Estate Laura R. Studen - Employment Litigation, Business Litigation, Family Law Litigation Donald E. Vaughan - Real Estate, Trusts & Estates, Estate Planning Lisa M. Cukier - Estate Litigation, Family Law, Business Litigation Bottom (left to right): Deborah J. Peckham - Intellectual Property, Trademarks, Licensing Peter F. Zupcofska - Family Law, Probate Litigation Scott H. Moskol - Financial Restructuring & Distressed Transactions, Bankruptcy, Corporate
FASHION PRODUCED Scott Kearnan PHOTOS Joel Benjamin Shot on location at Bullock Lodge at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. The Boston Spirit crew hit the slops (sans skis) at Wachusett Mountain, a 70-minute drive from downtown Boston. (You can actually see the city skyline from its summit.) With 22 trails covering 110 acres of ski terrain, Wachusett, Algonquin for “The Great Hill,” is an exceptionally convenient spot to play snow bunny; the mountain boasts 100 percent snowmaking coverage, which certainly helps. Affordable rentals and ski clinics available and there’s a great lineup of mountain events throughout the season. Coming up: the femalefocused evening “Wine, Cheese, Chicks and Skis” on November 15; live music, fire shows and gourmet grilled food at the Winter Fire celebration on November 22; and a New Year’s Eve party with fireworks and midnight skiing.
Mountain Views Over the river and through the woods: whether you’re traveling to a Thanksgiving dinner party or a wintry ski retreat, the New England landscape looks especially beautiful during the holiday season. But don’t leave your stylish side at home. From casual fireside looks to more refined fashions, bundle up, beautiful.
Wachusett Mountain Ski Area
wachusett.com.
STORE LIST Gretta Luxe 94 Central St., Wellesley 781-237-7010 grettaluxe.com Lord and Taylor 760 Boylston St., Boston 617-262-6000 lordandtaylor.com M. Miller 519 Albany St., Boston 617-426-1259 mmillerfur.com Saks Fifth Avenue 800 Boylston St., Boston 617-262-8500 saksfifthavenue.com Sault New England 577 Tremont St., Boston 857-239-9434 saultne.com The Tannery 711 Boylston St., Boston 617-267-0899 thetannery.com
From casual fireside looks to more refined fashions, bundle up, beautiful
[PHOTOGRAPHER] Joel Benjamin [PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANT] Josh Campbell [STYLIST] Evan Crothers [HAIR/MAKEUP] Liz Washer [MODEL AGENCY] Maggie Inc. [MODELS] Steve Alario, Owen Baxter Shea, Jasmine Zen Mah
STEVE STEVE Woolrich Woolrich coat $550 at Sakscoat $550 at Saks & Bone henley $255 Rag & Bone henley $255Rag at The Tannery Tannery Calvin Klein scarf $55 at Lord at andThe Taylor Klein scarf $55 Jack Spade hat $75 at SaultCalvin New England Lordatand Band of Outsiders sweatpantsat$165 SaksTaylor Jack Spade hat $75 at Sault New England Band of Outsiders sweatpants $165 at Saks
NOV|DEC 2013 | 49
STEVE Rag & Bone shirt $275 at The Tannery Alternative Apparel hoodie $50 at Sault New England Band of Outsiders sweatpants $165 at Saks Shearling boots $695 at M. Miller
OWEN Hugo Boss cardigan $335 at Saks Boast shirt $118 at Sault New England
50 | BOSTON SPIRIT
JASMINE Donna Karan skirt $1695 at Saks Camilla James earrings $225 at Gretta Luxe Marc Jacobs fur collar cardigan $1900 at Saks Calfskin heels with shearling liner $600 at M. Miller
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OWEN Down jacket with detachable Finn raccoon hood trim $950 at M. Miller Hugo boss shirt $215 at Saks
STEVE Quilted barn coat $800 at M. Miller Black Brown 1826 scarf $94 at Lord and Taylor Jack Spade sweater $195 at Sault New England
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NOV|DEC 2013 | 53
JASMINE Alexander McQueen cardigan $1940 at Saks A.L.C. dress $575 at Gretta Luxe Chloe boots $1295 at Gretta Luxe Camilla James necklace $360 at Gretta Luxe
Eastland boots $225 at Sault New England Proenza Schouler satchel $1525 at Gretta Luxe
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JASMINE Brunello Cucinelli sweater $3210 at Saks Phillip Lim shirt $395 at Gretta Luxe
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STEVE
OWEN
Guess jean jacket $148 at Lord & Taylor Black Brown 1826 cardigan $295 at Lord & Taylor
Johnson Woolen Mills coat $98 at Sault New England Black Brown 1826 scarf $94 at Lord & Taylor Boast shirt $130 at Sault New England Black Brown 1826 gloves $94 at Lord and Taylor Shearling boots $695 at M. Miller
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NOV|DEC 2013 | 57
OWEN
STEVE
Burberry Brit shirt $275 at Saks Jack Spade hat $75 at Sault New England Belt $98 at Sault New England
Ralph Lauren sweater $185 at Lord Taylor ($185) Eastland boots $225 at Sault New England
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JASMINE
OWEN
Yigal Azrouel leather-trimmed IRO sweater $233 at The Tannery top $790 at Saks Calvin Klein scarf $55 at Lord and Taylor Christian Wijnants pants $530 at Saks Camilla James bracelet Coyote section throw $2750 at M. Miller $380 at Gretta Luxe Barbara Bui booties $560 at Gretta Luxe
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FEATURE History STORY Mark Krone
Caption
JFK’s Gay Best Friend
“ There was an unspoken tradition at Choate … boys who wanted sexual activity with other boys … exchanged notes written on toilet paper … Toilet paper was used because it could be swallowed or easily discarded to eliminate any paper trail. ” From David Pitt’s ‘Jack and Lem’
John F. Kennedy’s many lifetime secrets are common conversation today, but the story of his oldest and dearest friend’s sexual orientation is largely unknown “Here is a bulletin from CBS News. In Dallas, Texas, three shots were fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first reports say that President Kennedy has been seriously wounded by this shooting.” Fifty years ago this month, on the afternoon of November 22, 1963, Lem Billings had just returned from lunch when he heard the news. He was an advertising executive at Lennen and Newell in New York and as he approached his office building at 380 Madison Avenue, Billings saw immediately that something was wrong. Waves of people rolled out of the building onto the street, some looked
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confused, others wept. According to David Pitts, author of Jack and Lem: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship, a face in the crowd approached Billings and said, “I’m so sorry about the president.” John Kennedy kept many secrets during his lifetime: poor health, drug use, and countless affairs with women. But one secret is still largely unknown today: Kennedy’s oldest and dearest friend, Lemoyne Billings, was a gay man. Why would Kennedy risk having a gay man as his closest friend? According to Pitts, Ben Bradlee, former executive editor of the Washington Post and JFK friend, said Kennedy thought he could take care
of any political damage that might occur, including a possible “outing” of Lem. “(JFK) thought he could handle anything.” Lem Billings and Jack Kennedy met as teenagers at Choate, a prep school in Wallingford, Connecticut, where they were boarding students. Neither boy took the rules and traditions of the school very seriously. Jack was still in the shadow of his older brother, Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. For now, Jack would coast on his considerable charm and goodwill. Lem too, got by academically without too much effort or ambition. As a teenager, Jack seemed to go from one illness to the next, usually involving
stomach and back ailments. In early 1934, while at Choate, Kennedy became seriously ill. According to Billings, Jack had contracted a blood condition that almost took his life. Jack’s mother, Rose, never visited him while at Choate. It was left to Lem to care for Jack, cheering him up, getting him books and talking to him late into the night. “We used to joke about the fact that if I ever write a biography, I would call it John F. Kennedy, A Medical History. At one time or another, he really did have almost every medical problem — take any illness Jack Kennedy had it,” Lem recalled later. This intimate caretaking, when both boys were away from parents, was a major factor in their lifelong loyalty to each other. There was however, one problem, Lem was falling in love with Jack. By senior year, they were roommates and Lem’s desire for Jack was too powerful for him to ignore. He wanted to tell Kennedy but didn’t know how. Pitts describes what happened next: “There was an unspoken tradition at Choate … boys who wanted sexual activity with other boys …
exchanged notes written on toilet paper … Toilet paper was used because it could be swallowed or easily discarded to eliminate any paper trail.” Lem sent the toilet paper note. Jack wasn’t interested. While he was recovering from another illness at a hospital in Rochester, Jack sent a letter to Lem full of news about his medical condition. Almost as an aside, he included the following line, “Please don’t write to me on toilet paper anymore. I am not that kind of boy.” Kennedy’s rejection failed to cause even the smallest change in their relationship. As far as anyone knows, the matter was never discussed again. Given John Kennedy’s powerful attraction to women, it is noteworthy that all of his closest friendships were with men. “We don’t really have a word for that … for a man who relates to one sex sexually but the other emotionally. Of course, this was a time when women were seen as sex objects, perhaps it was not that unusual at the time to use women for sexual purposes and discount them in other ways,” says Pitts.
When Jack married Jackie Kennedy, Lem was never far away. Though they developed a warm relationship, it sometimes frustrated Jackie that she had to share her husband with Lem. Even in the White House, he had his own room and often showed up unannounced on weekends. His presence was a tonic for Jack, who almost never discussed politics with Lem. Instead, they laughed and gossiped. When Jackie declined to go on foreign trips, Lem went along as he did to Berlin when Jack made his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. Lem was extremely careful to hide any sexual encounters he had in order to protect the president. While he had lovers, there is no evidence of a long-term relationship. Even though his romantic feelings were never requited, Lem’s devotion to Jack remained complete until the day of the assassination. Boston University Professor James Whalen calls Lem’s life a cautionary tale, “If you devote your life entirely to someone else, is it worth the price? I would argue, no.” [x]
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SEASONAL Charity STORY Scott Kearnan
Toying Around Gay gifting group Toys for Joys celebrates fifth anniversary If Santa Claus was gay, his Christmas party might look like this. Picture it: piles of toys and holiday gifts stacked high, overflowing from cutesy red wagons, covered in every color of wrapping paper and ready for delivery to kids of all ages — from toddler girls to teenage boys. They’ve been assembled by hundreds of guests who now surround the haul, laughing and chatting, mingling and clinking glasses as they ring in the holiday season. Most of the gift givers, reflecting the constituency of the event organizers, also happen to be gay. This is Toys for Joys. And if we can offer a suggestion: save one gift for the group itself, because this year it celebrates its fifth official birthday.
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“We identified a need, and now we do everything we can to help,” says James Rifino, the founder of Toys for Joys, which officially received 501c3 status this year. The group has its roots in a small Christmas party held at Rifino’s home back in 2002, when an intimate group of guests brought toys and gifts to donate to needy kids via the Boston Housing Authority. But it wasn’t until 2007 that Rifino and his board of fellow gay professionals truly created a model for the kind of large-scale public bash it has become today. The Toys for Joys celebration now attracts over 500 attendees annually, and has brought in nearly 10,000 toys for half a dozen different organizations: from the Multicultural AIDS Coalition to United South End Settlements. This year’s event on Saturday, December 14 will mark Toys for Joys’ first at the Black Falcon cruise terminal in the Seaport, a move designed to accommodate the always-growing event.
Want to make merry? It’s easy: register ($30 at ToysforJoys. org) and bring three toys, one for each age group outlined on the site; put on some festive attire; and bask in the satisfaction of contributing to true holiday spirit. That’s what it’s all about, says board member Brian Bourquin. “There’s always a point in the night where a small group of us will look down at the crowd and all the toys and think, ‘we did it!’” says Borquin. Borquin is no stranger to communitybuilding: representing Boston on the Human Rights Campaign’s board of governors, he’s also responsible for wrangling the HRC’s annual local gala. But there’s something special about contributing to Toys for Joys, says Borquin. “There’s a political aspect to that work,” says Borquin. “But something like Toys for Joys just sells itself.” And it functions as an A-list social gathering that gets everyone excited and on board. “If you go to Target the day before
the event, it looks like a circuit party,” jokes Borquin of the lines of heaped red shopping carts. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine anyone not wanting to support an event that singlehandedly delivers thousands of toys to kids in need, which would explain why Toys for Joys manages to attract major sponsors: from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which provides the beverages, to supporters like Macy’s and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. And founder Rifino says that maintaining a somewhat apolitical approach is important to the event, even if also functions as a way to build bridges between its LGBT supporters and the greater community. “The primary goal is to help kids,” says Rifino. He explains that opinions differ among Toys for Joys organizers regarding how emphatically the group should stress its LGBT identity to toy recipients. Some feel the efforts should be overt: say, stickers on each gift indicating its community association. Others, like Rifino, would rather take a more subtle approach and let the spirit of giving speak for itself.
Toys for Joys organizers from Christmas Past. (photos: courtesy Toys For Joys) “Many of us have had experiences in our own families where we’ve given something to children and had it thrown out because it was given by a gay person,” says Rifino. “We reach out to all the administrators [at benefiting organizations] and tell them that we would appreciate it if they would promote it, as they feel comfortable, that these donations came from the LGBT community. The kids may not know what that means, but their parents will. And it can make a difference in how the LGBT community is perceived.”
And though Toys for Joys is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, organizers are continuing to think of new ways that the group can grow: from encouraging local businesses to sponsor (and fill) red wagons with gifts, to toying with the idea of a scholarship program that would help kids well beyond the holiday season. Those efforts can only continue to spread cheer and build positive connections. But the biggest gift? That may go to the group itself. Explains Borquin: “There’s such a glow we feel afterward.” Let the yuletide glow. [x]
at the Peabody Essex Museum November 16, 2013–January 26, 2014
Co-organized by the Kyoto Costume Institute and Barbican Art Gallery, London. Supported by
Additional support provided by Japan Foundation, Wacoal Corporation and the East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum. Koji Tatsuno, Autumn/Winter 1993-94. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, Gift of Mr. Koji Tatsuno. Photo by Richard Burbridge.
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CULTURE Music STORY Loren King
Music Man John O’Neill carries on cabaret tradition Cabaret performer John O’Neil remembers when piano bars proliferated in Boston. The number may have dwindled over the last decade, but not so the affection and loyalty that audiences have for intimate clubs that showcase both the song and the singer.
“Napoleon was one of my favorite rooms, but Club Café has done all it can do to keep that spirit alive with its Napoleon Room,” says O’Neil, whose cabaret career spans 25 years. “They have many artifacts [from the historic bar that closed in the 1990s] decorating the room. It’s the last club that
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offers live music six nights a week. I love the fact that they have preserved that part of community history. It’s so New York. It has a lovely elegance.” Of course, it’s not just the memories or the artifacts. Club Café’s Napoleon Room is where LGBT music fans can hear the Great American Songbook performed by a variety of established and rising performers. It’s preserving a tradition. O’Neil is both a headliner and the producer of First Mondays at the Napoleon Room, which brings the supper club experience to audiences as it showcases rising performers on the first Monday of
every month. Accompanied by O’Neil’s longtime pianist and musical director Jim Rice, the one-hour show begins at 7:30 p.m. “I present artists you don’t normally see,” says O’Neil citing recent shows from Brian DeLorenzo and Bob Saoud. O’Neil will headline the room on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. with Rice, who has accompanied him for 10 years. Having a pianist allows O’Neil more freedom in his act, he says, giving the audience a mix of standup comedy, songs, anecdotes and interaction. Rice did all of O’Neil’s arrangements for his popular show So Kaye – Celebrating the Danny Kaye Centenary, a tribute to consummate entertainer Danny Kaye. O’Neil performed the show earlier this month at Pickman Hall at the Longy School of Music in a production from American Classics, helmed by fellow Boston cabaret artists Brad Connor and Ben Sears. In 1950, Danny Kaye, notes O’Neil, “was the world’s greatest entertainer. Unfortunately, there are so few of us who remember him.” O’Neill wrote the show in 2000 and two years later recorded So Kaye: The Songs of Danny Kaye. But, he says, he has
no plans to perform the show again. “When Brad and Ben called me, I jumped. It was great fun to perform,” says O’Neil. “Danny Kaye will never leave my heart and I’ll still sing his songs.” Then again, he adds that he knows he should “never say never.” Besides performing, O’Neil teaches voice and performance at Riverside Theaterworks and at the Wheelock Family Theater. Teaching, he says, provides him with a different reward. “I love watching kids come up. I give them a push and watch them fly.” It’s in that spirit that he’s taking on a new challenge this season. He joins the cast of the Wheelock Family Theater’s new production of It’s a Wonderful Life — A live radio play, running December 13 to 22. O’Neil will be onstage as the radio show’s music director, a non-speaking role that allows him to play holiday jingles and interact with an Andrews sisters-like trio who are guests on the show. But, like Danny Kaye, O’Neil describes himself as “an old vaudevillian” and performing is his first love. He recalls when the Street Pianos installation that arrived
in Boston this fall was in New York, he took a stroll through Washington Square and heard a man playing a Yiddish tune popularized by Kaye on one of the outdoor pianos. O’Neil, a self-described “Irish Catholic boy,” stood next to the elderly man and accompanied him on Kaye’s Yiddish tune, “Oif’n Pripetshik.” It was a moment that bridged time and tradition, connecting strangers to other another and to Kaye. It’s the same feeling he gets when he looks out over the crowd at the Napoleon Room. “I love seeing men of a certain age, like me, who don’t go to dance clubs anymore. But they want to socialize in a friendly, wonderful place and hear good music. I see them, and they see me, and suddenly we’re all 30 again.” The Napoleon Room at Club Café
www.clubcafe.com/napoleon-cabaret/
It’s a Wonderful Life—A live radio play at the Wheelock Family Theatre
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CULTURE Theater STORY Loren King
He’s Made Up His Mind Gay playwright Nicky Silver comes to Boston to world premiere his work ‘Kurt Vonnegut’s Make Up Your Mind’ Playwright Nicky Silver’s darkly farcical works such as Pterodactyls, The Food Chain and, most recently, The Lyons (which ran on Broadway last year), boast subject matter ranging from cannibalism, incest, pedophilia and murder to more generic family dysfunction and denial. Oh, and they happen to be very funny. That one-liners fly fast and furious onstage isn’t surprising when talking with Silver, an openly gay Philadelphia native who moved to New York at 16 to study theater at New York University. It’s been a busy year for Silver, 52. The Lyons opened in September at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. His newest play, Too Much Sun, is set to premier off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theater in NYC this spring. And for Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage Company, Silver adapted the works of Kurt Vonnegut for SpeakEasy’s World Premiere of Kurt Vonnegut’s Make Up Your Mind, a comic drama about a man’s indecisiveness as he searches for human connection. Directed by Cliff Fannin Baker, the play runs to November 30. Boston Spirit spoke with Silver while he was in Boston for
rehearsals of Kurt Vonnegut’s Make Up Your Mind. [BOSTON SPIRIT] You’re so prolific
in your own writing, what was it like to fashion a play entirely from someone else’s words and work?
[NICKY SILVER] It wasn’t difficult. Nobody knows this, but I spent five or six years doing movie rewrites for studios. So that’s what it felt like. I read all his fiction and essays, but a book of his letters came out last year and that was my favorite part. That’s what made me feel that I knew him and liked him and wanted to be protective of him. Other things made me admire him, but this made him into a real person for me. ... I related to a lot in his letters and essays. What it is to be a writer and to struggle for a long time and — although I certainly don’t have his success — what it’s like to have financial independence after a long period of struggle. But no, I don’t have a problem making up my mind. [BS] So you were a script doctor? [NS] No, you only call it that when it pays better. I didn’t make any [Paul] Rudnick money. I was just paid to rewrite scripts; most of them didn’t get made. They were TV pilots, some films, but I never had to live in Los Angeles. I’d
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just go for meetings. They fly you in and out and because of the writer’s union, they have to fly you first class so you’re always sitting next to someone way more famous. I would have happily moved there for a couple of TV projects that if they’d been put on the air. The whimsy by which those decisions are made are pretty mind boggling. [BS] Sounds like a good
subject for a play.
[NS] Well, yes ... for Theresa Rebeck! She’s written a play about television. I wrote one that was tangentially about
the theater but I avoid the entertainment industry as a backdrop because it starts to feel incestuous. While a lovely pastime, incest is probably annoying to the general public. [BS] Have you been enjoying
your time in Boston?
[NS] I love Boston! I could see myself retiring in Boston; it’s so civilized. I’m of the age now where I could be a sugar daddy and I was hoping to use this interview to get young men to send pictures and resumes to the SpeakEasy and they could forward them to me. The young man who gets the
job will just have to pretend things I say are funny. That’s about it. There would be very little sexual demand on him. He just has to look good and laugh. Oh, and I don’t drive so it might also be good if he has a driver’s license. A couple of my plays have been done in Boston over the years. The last time was 17 years ago when the Huntington did Pterodactyls and my experience was very different. They hated me at the Huntington, that group, which is all gone now. There was a scene where two boys kissed and the audience would actually boo audibly. The director and I would stand in the back and say ‘look! A gay person!’ We’d actually get excited because we knew they wouldn’t boo. I felt ostracized by the Boston audience then. But that was a different regime at the Huntington; I don’t want to offend the lovely people
“ I think almost all my plays straddle a lot of different genres and styles. I’m trying to provide a full experience which means a lot of laughter but a lot of painful experiences, too. ” Nicky Silver
there now, though God forbid they should do another play of mine. ... When I moved to New York, there were plays with gay characters but none where being gay as just a facet of a character. You couldn’t write a play about a gay character—no one would be interested. The Food Chain was done in 1995. It’s a goofy farce but it had a subversive quality to it because the obese gay character—even his mother
never mentioned him being gay, and that was surprising to people at that time. [BS] Your plays have been called
‘dark farce,’ ‘absurdist’ and ‘morally ambiguous.’ Do those descriptions seem right to you?
[NS] Those are marketing
terms. They could call it free beer; if it would get people into the theater, it makes no difference to me. I think almost all my plays straddle a lot of different genres and
styles. I’m trying to provide a full experience which means a lot of laughter but a lot of painful experiences, too. [BS] You starting writing early
but did you also want to be an actor at one point?
[NS] I adore actors. I adore auditions and rehearsals, more than the actual performances. I love the process. I did act in one of my plays once—as a failed, agoraphobic, 45 year-old playwright—I don’t know how I thought of it! But no, I never wanted to be an actor. The rejection of life is hard enough. I don’t know that I’d want to be put in that position day in and day out for a career. [x]
SpeakEasy Stage
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FEATURE Film STORY Loren King
Love is ‘Blue’ Blue is the Warmest Color hits theaters amid controversy, but let’s not forget the book that spawned it It’s the most buzzed about gay film in years, and it all comes courtesy of a graphic novel by French author and artist Julie Maroh. Maroh’s Blue is the Warmest Color (the English version from Arsenal Pulp Press was released in September), originally published in 2010 France, is an engrossing graphic novel, with stark and stunning illustrations. It’s about Clementine, a junior in high school, who becomes smitten by Emma, an older, mysterious girl with blue hair. Wrestling with her developing sexual identity, ostracism by her friends, and a kinship with a gay male pal Valentin, Clementine pursues Emma while keeping her feelings secret from her conservative parents. The two girls embark on a passionate romance in classic coming-of-age fashion. Maroh’s tale takes us through the highs and lows of
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first love: the melodrama and, eventually, tragedy. The nearly three-hour screen version of Blue was released theatrically on November 1 by IFC (scheduled to open at the Kendall Square Cinema). Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and starring Léa Seydoux as Emma Adèle Exarchopoulos as Adele (instead of Clementine), the film won the prestigious Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the first time a film based on a comic book has ever earned that honor. But when Blue arrived at the Toronto Film Festival in September, it was accompanied by both positive buzz and negative controversy. Maroh had dissed the movie on her blog, calling the muchballyhooed sex scenes (which earned the film an NC-17 rating) porn and claiming that it doesn’t portray lesbian sex or sexual identity well because the director
and actresses are (apparently) straight. Criticism of the film seems to hinge on the length of the sex scenes — one goes on for some 15 minutes — and their almost clinical detail. It’s true that Maroh’s book is just if not more concerned with Clementine’s fears of accepting her sexuality, and her struggles to find out who she is than with the love affair and the earth-moving sex. The “art or porn” debate has been around as long as there has been art and porn. In LGBT films, most of us can remember the disappointment of otherwise refreshing gay-positive movies (like Personal Best, for one) that demurred from portraying sex — the female stars got to kiss and that was it. That trend ended with the landmark Desert Hearts, the sole lesbian film from that era that was directed by a lesbian (Donna Deitch), which delivered a sex scene for the ages. Bound pushed
the envelope further, integrating a lesbian romance into a genre thriller. Gina Gershon’s Corky was a hot butch, and the sex scenes were more explicit that most LGBT American movies at that time. Then came the Showtime soap The L Word, made by lesbians and pushing boundaries in every direction with it weekly sexual escapades. It was fun, of course, but it sure wasn’t art. Maroh’s contention that the film version of Blue lacked real lesbians doesn’t make it porn and doesn’t make it exploitative. In my mind, the best lesbian movie of all time came from a collaboration between a lesbian writer, Violette Leduc, and a straight male director, Radley Metzger. Therese and Isabelle (1968) was adapted by Metzger, whose resume includes directing honest-to-God porn as well as classic European art house movies of the 1960s, from Leduc’s classic lesbian memoir. (“Just don’t make a dirty movie,” Leduc reportedly told him.) Shot in atmospheric black and white, with elaborate tracking and crane shots, Therese and Isabelle (available on DVD from First Run
Features) is a coming of age story about two French boarding-school girls (the school is more like a chilling concrete castle/prison) who fall in love in a repressive environment. In an era when any gay film had to end in a suicide or redemptive
marriage, this one offered positive characters and unabashed sex scenes — including a lyrical nighttime love scene by a pond. Therese and Isabelle still holds up as a timeless look at the map of the human heart. Forty-five years later, another French film, based on the work of a French lesbian author, tries to accomplish the same thing. Of course, any LGBT film fan must see Blue is the Warmest Color. But perhaps the publicity around the film will push book sales, too. Maroh is a young voice deserving to be heard, even if she’s not saying much more on the topic of this book and film. Her second graphic novel, Skandalon, came out this month and it is described as “a contemporary myth, a present story structured like classical ancient myths. ... about the “highway to hell” of a rock star in France.” She’s working on her third comic book, called Les Corps Sonores, described as a series of little love stories focused on alternative identities and sexualities, set in Montréal, Québec. [x]
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CULTURE Music STORY Loren King
Down to Earth Diva Deborah Voigt demystifies opera in ‘Voight Lessons’
She calls herself Debbie, which seems incongruous for a star known for her definitive performances of iconic roles in German operas. But Deborah Voigt has never aimed for Maria Callas mystique. “People have preconceived ideas of opera singers. The average person can’t identify if they think we just sit around eating bonbons or drinking champagne,” says Voigt. “We have human frailties. There is something mystical about opera, of course, but it’s good to demystify it. I’ve been fired and had weight issues — that’s certainly something that people can relate to.” The renowned soprano will perform arias, Broadway and popular songs, mixed with personal anecdotes about her life and career in Voigt Lessons, a one-woman show she developed with gay playwright Terrence McNally and Voigt’s longtime opera director and friend, Francesca Zambello. She’ll perform Voigt Lessons at Boston’s Wimberly Theatre in the Calderwood Pavilion in the South End. Presented by the Celebrity Series of Boston, Voigt will be accompanied by Kevin Stites on piano for two shows, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. and November 22 at 8 p.m.
For Voigt, it will be a homecoming, of sorts. “Boston has a significant place in my life and career. I was performing Richard Strauss’s Ariadne [in Ariadne auf Naxos] with the Boston Lyric Opera. It was the first time I did it, and John Rockwell of the New York Times came to Boston to see it. He just happened to come to my performance and wrote the most glowing review that I think I’ve ever had. It really was a pivotal moment,” she says. “The Met called me and cast me in a production of Elektra and my career really started to take off. I’ve sung with the Boston Symphony and at Tanglewood many times. I love Boston.” She and Zambello first conceived Voigt Lessons as a way of developing a different format for a recital, says Voigt who will return to Boston in a traditional recital April 27. That much-anticipated vocal recital will feature selections by Amy Beach, Richard Strauss, Respighi, Tchaikovsky, and Bernstein. It takes place at Symphony Hall in another Celebrity Series presentation. But the intimate format of Voigt Lessons, she says, “allowed me to talk to the audience about myself and let them
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get to know me in a way you can’t when you’re performing an opera. Most of those ladies are praying/dying/crying and I wanted to show a lighter side to my personality.” They approached McNally, who had channeled his opera expertise into the acclaimed play Master Class. “I thought, ‘he’ll never be interested in me,’” recalls Voigt. Turns out that McNally had been approached by other opera stars who wanted to do
personal solo shows but he didn’t think there was enough unique material in their lives. “I was lucky that he found other things interesting in my life. I gave him a song list — random songs I love that are all over the map, from the Carpenters to Brahms — and he wove them into a story,” she says. After developing the show for a week at the MacDowell Colony, Voigt debuted Voigt Lessons at the Glimmerglass
born to devout Baptist parents in Wheeling, Illinois, just outside Chicago. “One of my first teachers had a real affinity for the German repertoire and the timbre of my voice suited to it,” says Voigt. Her early life is just one of the areas Voigt, 53, will detail in her just-finished memoir set to be published Harper Collins. “It was a daunting, scary task. I knew that if I was going to tell the story, I had to tell the whole story. The real details are what makes it interesting,” she says. “It was cathartic at moments; at others, it was, ‘do I want to talk about that? How can I not?’” Readers will no doubt get Voigt’s version of her infamous 2004 firing from the role of Ariadne at the Royal Opera House when she could not fit into one of the costumes. That same year, she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery. “I would not have been happy to be less than honest,” says Voigt about her decision to write candidly about her life and career in the book. Although Voigt in September made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Washington National Opera’s new season production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, she isn’t leaving the opera stage any time soon. She will perform for the first time the role of Marie in Berg’s Wozzeck at the Met Opera, alongside Thomas Hampson making his own debut in the title role, March 6-22. “It is exciting to discover and learn a new role at this stage of my life,” she says. “It’s a great character to play and that’s what interests me most now. It’s not Brünnhilde, thank God, but I’m excited to return to the Met and to sing with Thomas Hampson; that’s not rough on any lady.” [x] ‘Voight Lessons’
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Festival in 2011 (where she also sang title role in Annie Get Your Gun.) The Albany Times-Union called Voigt Lessons “a daring revelation of Voigt’s deepest self ... Sure, she sang plenty — renditions of 18 different selections. But it was what she said that touched the audience in deep and unexpected ways.” Her skills in German opera and her Nordic looks may have caused some fans to assume Voigt is German, but she was
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NOV|DEC 2013 | 71
CULTURE Literature STORY Loren King
Lombardo’s
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From Stage to Page Anything Goes: A History of the American Musical Theater [Illustrated. 346
pages. Oxford University Press]
BY ETHAN MORDDEN
Celebrating 50 Years 781.986.5000 | www.lombardos.com
I’ve long been a fan of Ethan Mordden’s entertaining and insightful books on Hollywood and Broadway. His latest, Anything Goes: A History of the American Musical Theater traces the American musical rom the 1920s to the ‘70s. There are terrific passages about the giants of the 1920s and 30s —Gilbert and Sullivan, Victor Herbert — followed by the decades that have come to be known as the Golden Era, with insights into the nowlegendary musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, and Comden and Green. With a readable scholarship, Morden explains
why shows like Oklahoma! and South Pacific are timeless. He’s just as fascinating, like the teacher you wish you’d had, when he’s writing about the modern “pop operas” and shows he doesn’t particularly like, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (though he has such respect for what works in theater that his critiques are never dishy or dismissive.) Sondheim, not surprisingly, gets a lot of ink, as do Broadway stars and the changing role of the star. The author devotes (deservedly so) a chapter to Ethel Merman who singlehandedly turned stardom inside out with her tour-de-force in Gypsy. There is a lot of ground to cover in this book, but Mordden’s survey is both comprehensive and celebratory. An exhaustive discography closes the book,
“an intimate show that is both poignant and very funny…an absolute gem and a theatrical love-in.” –ToronTo Globe and Mail
offering invaluable and listening and viewing opportunities to younger audiences who missed the era when the Great White Way was the epicenter of art and culture. This is a must for devotees of musical theater.
Jack Be Nimble: The Accidental Education of an Unintentional Director t[Illustrated. 352 pages. Farrar, Straus and Giroux]
BY JACK O’BRIEN Jack O’Brien may best be known for his Tony-winning direction of the musical Hairspray and Tom Stoppard’s Russian-set Coast of Utopia trilogy. This memoir serves as a glorious window into a long and distinguished theater career, which began unassumingly in the late 1950s when O’Brien was a lyricist and actor studying at the University of Michigan. It was there that a young touring company, called APA (Association of Producing Artists), took up
residence. APA’s founder, artistic director and leading actor Ellis Raab, with his thenwife, Rosemary Harris, took the regional theater scene by storm and Raab became mentor and father figure to O’Brien and others, while shaking up Broadway with Ibsen and Ionesco; building the careers of actors such as Donald Moffat and Frances Sternhagen; reviving the career of Helen Hayes; and hiring Eva Le Gallienne to direct Uta Hagen in The Cherry Orchard. O’Brien’s easy to digest memoir is open about his homosexuality but doesn’t deliver much dirt (for that, go back to the great Arthur Laurents’ memoir “Original Story By). Still, O’Brien’s lively work and conversational style captures the excitement of the theater scene at a specific place and time. His respect for Rabb, with whom he had an eventual and unfortunate falling out, is clear throughout; in many ways, this book is a testament to him. [x]
Voigt Lessons Deborah voigt
with pianist Kevin stites Deborah Voigt shares her triumphs and challenges through revealing anecdotes and musical highlights—hymns, show tunes, standards, arias—that illustrate moments in her personal life and her career. Developed with playwright Terrence McNally and director Francesca Zambello.
Two perForMaNCes oNly!
NoveMber 21 & 22 Wimberley Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
www.celebrityseries.org NOV|DEC 2013 | 73 CelebrityCharge | 617-482-6661
CULTURE House Proud STORY Scott Kearnan
Class and Character
Elyse Wilk has always had an appreciation for singular style —then again, the apple never falls far from the tree “My father was an amazing character, a series of contradictions!” says Wilk about her late dad. He was a handsome, dapper man: always, she says, either wearing a smart suit or his signature leather motocross uniform. (His handlebar mustache neatly waxed.) He loved Shakespeare and motorcycles. He collected guns and studied fencing. “I grew up like a pirate,” laughs Wilk of her early instruction. En garde!
74 | BOSTON SPIRIT
He also collected porcelain animals. (Cue the cocked eyebrow.) He was gay, says Wilk, but living in a time when that wasn’t a possibility for most. “He got married, he wanted to be a part of mainstream society,” she explains, echoing a familiar story. Her father spent the last few decades of his life living apart from his wife, in an apartment that adjoined that of his longtime boyfriend. Wilk recalls how, before her father passed and “before
legislature had caught up with humanity,” she had to jump through hoops of bureaucratic paperwork to make sure his partner would be able to visit him in the hospital. (And deal with supposedly enlightened doctors who still couldn’t grasp that yes, older men can be gay too.) Experiences like that sensitized her to the experiences of the LGBT community, and ensured that Wilk, now a published author and director of charitable giving for Tresca Restaurant in the North End (which is co-owned by her husband, real estate mogul Harvey Wilk, hockey legend Ray Bourque and Extreme drummer Paul Geary), would always be an ally: whether by supporting
REGAL GROUNDS. Wilk’s estate sits on 2.5 acres of landscaped grounds with a European courtyard, gunite pool, waterfalls, fountains and stone walled gardens. You can indulge Versailles-style entertaining on land like this.
NOV|DEC 2013 | 75
GRANDEUR. This marvelous foyer captures some of the mansion’s most elegant characteristics: its unique flooring, solid mahogany doors and precious antique glasses inlaid throughout the home. (Including in a skylight.) It also captures a hint of its owner: the gramophone is part of a series of audio-related antiques that Wilk, who is hearing impaired, enjoys collecting.
76 | BOSTON SPIRIT
NOV|DEC 2013 | 77
78 | BOSTON SPIRIT
DIVERSITY. The home boasts a room for everything. Sleep in one of five bedrooms, or grab a bottle from its wine cellar before whipping up dinner in a newly renovated, chef-inspired kitchen. (The Wilks do own one of the North End’s top restaurants, after all.) Then retire to the billiard room or burn off the carbs in an exercise space. This is the good life. HIV/AIDS-related organizations like Victory Programs, LGBT arts organizations like Theater Offensive, or co-hosting with Boston Spirit a November seminar on estate planning for the LGBT community. “I’ve always felt connected to the community,” says Wilk. Of course, her father also imbued Wilk with a sense of style, one that’s well exemplified by her gorgeous 9,000-square foot mansion that abuts Pine Brook Country Club in Weston. Sure, you’ll find nods to her pop: some of his trinkets, like the shaving mugs used to manicure that inimitable mustache, are scattered about. But the 5-bedroom, 5.5-bath home
primarily reflects the Wilk’s taste, which can be as varied as father’s was. “Our style of home is very eclectic,” she laughs. “It’s fun. We might have a Mickey Mouse next to a piece of art from Dali. There’s a lot of whimsy.” There’s plenty of refinement, too. “The house itself is an irreplaceable antique,” says Wilk of the property. Built in 1907, it boasted what was, at the time, top technology: like an intercom system to communicate with staff and an electric fireplace in its regal dining room. Ironically, Wilk only discovered the home when she was accompanied her househunting friend on a tour: “She said she
was going to pass on it. I said, ‘Are you serious?’ I wasn’t even looking for a house, but I just fell in love.” And how could she not? The mansion is replete with grand architectural detail, ornate stained glass, high ceilings and solid mahogany doors. Wilk’s family also added plenty of modern renovations and upgrades. It’s now the perfect palace for a modern family that will appreciate its unique character. (The mansion is new on the market via Benoit Mizner Simon & Co. Real Estate.) We think dear old dad would approve. [x]
NOV|DEC 2013 | 79
[MAGNETIC COUPLE FROM 41]
adults to help prevent the sexual acquisition of HIV,” marking the first time any med has been approval for HIV prevention. The PrEP studies resumed at Fenway and that’s when Patrick and Christian came on the scene. “When we were first told about PrEP,” Christian says, “we were a little hesitant. Why would you want to think about having sex and putting someone you love, or anyone, at risk?” “This was all my decision,” Patrick says. “Christian was hesitant of my getting on it but Fenway does an amazing job of educating people about it and how to take it correctly.” The couple prefers the term “smart sex” over “safe” versus “unsafe sex.” Christian’s viral load is undetectable, which, like PrEP, they consider another tool in their safety kit. They’ve also educated themselves on safer sexual practices and keep up-to-date on new ones. Whether or not they choose to use a condom is based on separate checklists both have developed
together and quickly run through before that special moment comes along. “If he says he’s not feeling this right now, that’s okay,” Christian says. Honesty is a key part of their commitment and if their checklists don’t match up on any given occasion, they turn to Plan B, which might be the condom, or Plan C, which might be another kind of safe, intimate activity, or Plan C, which could mean holding each other all night or just watching a movie on TV with “Princess Sophia.” One year into the study, Patrick is still HIV negative and plans to stay that way. “We decided to make our status as a magnetic couple public for the purpose of advocacy work, mainly because we want to start a conversation about HIV,” Patrick says. The couple has been speaking at educational forums at AIDS Action Committee, JRI Health, and elsewhere, in an attempt to de-stigmatize HIV for partners and potential partners, wether HIV-positive or negative.
“We’re not therapists,” Christian stresses. “We’re not here to modify how people chose to live their lives or tell people what safe sex practices they should do.” But when it comes to positive-negative couples, both acknowledge a lot of confusion out there. “People are scared,” Patrick says. “We’re cautious not to call it ignorance or lack of education. We have come in contact with stigma and bigotry from people who are gay, open-minded and educated, even people in the medical field. So we want to start this conversation. We want to say this is what works for us. This is who we are and how we choose to live our lives.” “HIV will mutate and evolve so we need to change and evolve with it,” Christian says. “If we don’t, we’re a sad group of people.” No one who chats with Christian or Patrick is likely to come away sad. This magnetic couple is one of the most positive you’ll ever meet—and positive in the very best sense of the word. [x]
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80 | BOSTON SPIRIT
FREE TO ATTEND
F N OVE M BE R 20, 2 013 6: 30 - 8: 30P M
Join Boston Spirit, US Trust, and our panel of experts
As we walk you through the recent changes brought on by the defeat of DOMA.
We will review tax implications, family and estate questions, important investment advice, and much, much more.
T HE E X P E RTS
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PARTNER, BURNS & LEVINSON
Lillian Gonzalez
CPA, MST, CSEP, CSRP, ADPA OWNER, GONZALES & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
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SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND WEALTH STRATEGIST U.S. TRUST, BANK OF AMERICA PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Tresca Restaurant, 233 Hanover St., Boston Space is very limited for the event, RSVPs will be taken on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to attend this free event RSVP today by visiting
bostonspiritmagazine.com /773
SCENE Neighborhood PHOTOS Courtesy One Southie
One Southie Telegraph Hill | South Boston | July 13
South Boston keeps getting gayer and gayer. A new LGBT group brings on the socializing.
82 | BOSTON SPIRIT
SCENE Charity PHOTOS Courtesy W Hotel
Water Walk W Hotel | Boston | August 21
Waterwalk makes its Boston debut. This charity event that got started in New York City is a moving, interactive experience where guests are invited to take off their shoes and carry two 40-pound yellow jerry cans a fraction of the distance in which millions of women and children in developing countries must walk in order to collect water each day. 103 people participated in the Waterwalk, with VIP attendees including Scott Harrison, Michaelangelo L’Acqua, Ben Mezrich, Ricardo Rodriguez, Daniela Corte, Boston’s own Sean William Donovan, Kevin Starr, Adriana & Tarek Hassan, and DJ Case&Point. For each walk, W Hotels donated $45 to bring one person clean water in Orissa, India.
You are invited
Saturday, March 29, 2014 thewdp.org
Saturday, April 26, 2014 mensevent.org
Benefits for Enjoy dinner and dancing while supporting the work of Fenway Health and the future of the LGBT community. For tickets or information on becoming a sponsor or Table Captain, visit our websites or call 617.927.6350.
platinum sponsors
gold sponsors
media sponsor
VIP Receptions Sponsor Sponsors as of 10.10.13
SCENE Event PHOTOS Ben Gebo
A beautiful Maserati Quattroporte was on display from Maserati Boston
Rock Your Senses Audio Concepts Experience Center | Boston | September 19
An evening of sight, sound, scents, sense, and taste featuring Audio Concepts, Maserati, Herb Chambers, Bowers & Wilkins, Elizabeth Grady and Bistro 5. Sensational! Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus Speaker shown by Audio Concepts
John Kruse, Gokce Dundar, Andrew Childs
Sam Wallis
Andrea Goldman
Sam Wallis
Marilyn MacLeod
84 | BOSTON SPIRIT
The Elizabeth Grady Scent Bar
Jodi Osborn, Anna Orfanides
Ian Campbell, Rebecca Wettemann
Ralph Kifoyle
Al DeGregorio
Rebecca Wilson
SCENE Health PHOTOS Courtesy Fenway Health
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[BACK ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT] Matthew
Town, Jules Przedworski, Andrew Bauerband, Brian Feinstein, Peter Martini, Jorge Soler, Russell Spiker, Kyler Sherman-Wilkins, Michelle Johns. Middle row: Lixian Cui, Gilbert Gonzalez, Maurice Gattis, Jason Park, Natalie Alizaga, Jennifer Raymond, Sammy Sass (staff) [FRONT ROW] Mollie Ruben, Francisco Surace, Kerith Conron (instructor), Trang Nguyen, Judith Bradford (instructor), Allegra Gordon (instructor)
2013 Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health
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Fenway Health Ansin Building | Boston | August 19
Boston was the site of the 2013 Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health, held from July 15-August 9. Sponsored by The Fenway Institute of Fenway Health and the Department of Community Health Sciences of the Boston University School of Public Health, this intensive 4-week
training program drew 18 participants from local Boston and across the country. The trainees came together to learn how best to research and improve the health of sexual and gender minority populations. The program included a seminar on LGBT health and social life, short courses in quantitative
We take
analysis, and a data lab. Each participant completed an independent quantitative analysis project on an LGBT health topic of interest, using computerized data.
PRIDE in you!
At Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, we serve our communities with true quality care in an environment where everyone fits in. We are proud of the diverse communities we serve and workforce we employ. Diversity and inclusion make us better.
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To join us at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates for a career that takes pride in you, please visit:
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www.harvardvanguard.org/jobs Harvard Vanguarwww.harvardvanguard.org/jobs d Medical Associates is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
To join us at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates for a career that takes pride in you, please visit: Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
SCENE Charity PHOTOS Courtesy Out! As I Want to Be
Out! As I Want to Be Kate Hewlett Place | St. George, Maine | August 16
In a wonderful evening of connecting and celebration, residents of St. George gathered at the home of Kate Hewlett to generate thousands of dollars for Out! As I Want to Be, the only organization affirming and empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the mid-coast area of Maine. More than 50 local residents gathered to hear about the organization and to pledge their support for these at-risk youth.
Host Kate Hewlett (center, Tenants Harbor), neighbors Peter and Pamela Lubs
Out! As I Want To Be youth board members Becca Agnor (Hope) and Lindsay Parker (Owls Head)
Artist Jon Mort preparing the artwork for the event
Artist Jon Mort’s “Songs At Sea” Giclee print was auctioned off at OutMaine.org’s St. George’s event raising enough funds to pay the rent on their Rockland office for an entire month!
style for real life.
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SCENE Wedding PHOTOS Sam Henry Photography
The Wedding of Stephen Hartley and Brian Deslauriers Beneficent Congregational Church | Providence, Rhode Island | September 7
Stephen Hartley (a.k.a. Miss Kitty Litter) and Brian Deslauriers were united in conjugal bliss in the company of many friends, family, and loved ones.
the boston pops orchestra the boston pops esplanade orchestra keith lockhart conductor tanglewood festival chorus john oliver conductor
december 4 –24
santa appears during all concerts.
tickets on sale now! bostonpops.org • 617-266-1200
season sponsor
Calendar COMMUNITY Overturning DOMA :
What's Next for Business?
WED NOV 20
BOSTON, MA | SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY SARGENT HALL
Dancers: Einstein’s Happiest Thought
FRI NOV 8
How will the Supreme Court decision affect how businesses handle employee benefits, workplace discrimination, immigration and other issues? A panel discussion with John Basile, Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Fidelity, GLAD attorney Janson Wu and more.
Mass Alliance Post Election Celebration: Progressive Prospects
THU NOV 21
BOSTON | SPACE WITH A SOUL
DANCE Adele Myers and
Broadway In Boston brings ‘We Will Rock You’ From London’s West End, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton
FESTIVAL Boston Jewish Film Festival
ONGOING THRU MON NOV 18
BOSTON
Screening and special events around the city constitute the Boston Jewish Inspired in part by Myers’s attempt to Film Festival, which celebrates the get over her fear of heights by enrolling richness of the Jewish experience in trapeze school, Einstein’s Happiest through film and media. Boston Jewish Film Festival | www.bjff.org Thought is a multidisciplinary work that delves into the charged physical states of risk and anticipation. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
The Nutcracker
FUNDRAISER EDITOR'S PICK
Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Gala
SAT NOV 9
BOSTON | VILLA VICTORIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Join the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition as we reflect on another year of programming, honor leading voices in our communities, and fundraise to sustain Boston's leading LGBTQ organization for Hispanic, Latina/o, and Black LGBTQ individuals. Special speakers & honorees include Rev. Irene Monroe
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 29
BOSTON | BOSTON BALLET
Join MassEquality and mark your calendar to be there to celebrate our victories and share stories of this election season with hundreds of other like-minded community leaders from across the Commonwealth. Mass Alliance | www.massalliance.org
Boston Ballet's production of Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker. Boston Ballet | bostonballet.org Celebrity Series | www.celebrityseries.org
88 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Visit our online calendar for the latest events and submit listings for upcoming events: BostonSpiritMagazine.com
and Nelson Roman. Expect food, auctions, and live entertainment. HBGC | www.hbgc-boston. org/#!4th-annual-gala-/ckl8 EDITOR'S PICK
HRC New England Gala
MON NOV 11
BOSTON | MARRIOTT COPLEY PLACE
The gala is an opportunity to celebrate while also being the largest fundraising event of the year. It includes an auction, gala dinner, and after-party to celebrate the progress we have made and to look toward a more just future. Human Rights Campaign Boston | hrcboston.org
The Theater Offensive: Beyond the Stage
THU NOV 21
BOSTON | HILL HOLLIDAY
A benefit for True Colors: OUT Youth Theater, supporting at-risk LGBT youth and allies. Enjoy complimentary sips and treats, and meet some of the organization's young talent to experience their creativity and hear their stories. Tickets are $50.
Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner
THU NOV 28
BOSTON | CLUB CAFÉ
Celebrate Thanksgiving with a buffet dinner at Club Cafe, and 10% of sales will be donated to the Boston Living Center.
MUSIC Step Afrika
THU NOV 7 - SAT NOV 9
BOSTON | ARTSEMERSON
If you like STOMP, you’ll love Step Afrika! ArtsEmerson | artsemerson.org
Jomama Jones: Radiate
THU NOV 14 - SAT NOV 16
BOSTON | HIBERIAN HALL
The Theater Offensive presents Jomama Jones (aka Daniel Alexander Jones), the character of a 1970s soul-singing superstar performing her "comeback concert" filled with story, song, sequins, and self-discovery. Expect a spirited journey of regeneration using original pop, R&B, and rock music joined by a Boston-based community choir for an electric, soul-filled evening. Shows: Thursday (7:30 PM), Friday (8 PM), and Saturday (2 PM, 8 PM). Hiberian Hall | www.brownpapertickets.com
Hail, Bright Cecilia!
TUE NOV 19 - SAT NOV 23
BOSTON | CORO ALLEGRO
A celebration of music on the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten's birth. Coro Allegro | www.coroallegro.org
Ari Hest
FRI NOV 22
OGUNQUIT | JONATHAN'S RESTAURANT
Hest's music has been featured on numerous television shows including Private Practice, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill. Jonathan's Restaurant | jonathansrestaurant.com
Handel Messiah
The Power of Duff
A Christmas Carol
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 1
ONGOING THRU SAT NOV 9
SAT NOV 9 - SAT DEC 28
A holiday tradition for 160 years— make it yours! Join H&H for an outstanding rendition of Handel’s masterwork, performed in the US by H&H in its first concert in 1815. No holiday season is complete without this stunning oratorio. Handel and Haydn Society | handelandhaydn.org
Local newscaster Charlie Duff begins offering a prayer at the end of his nightly broadcasts. But as his prayers inspire millions, Charlie struggles with his own beliefs and his inability to connect with his estranged son. Huntington Theatre Company | www. huntingtontheatre.org/
Trinity Repertory Theater's resident company member Fred Sullivan, Jr. steps into the shoes of iconic miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve warning him to change his stingy ways – or else. This year’s production returns to Dickensian London and comes complete with special effects, traditional costumes and all the magic of the season. Trinity Repertory Theater | www.trinityrep.com
BOSTON | HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
PERFORMANCE EDITOR'S PICK
Liza Minnelli
FRI NOV 8
LEDYARD, CT | MGM FOXWOODS
Winner of four Tony Awards, an Oscar, a special "Legends" Grammy, two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy: one of the entertainment world's consummate performers. In film, on stage and in television, Liza has won critical acclaim, a multitude of fans, and recognition from her peers in show business, giving new dimension and credibility to the word “superstar.” She continues her extraordinary career with ongoing concert tours around the world.
Kathy Griffin
SAT NOV 9
LEDYARD, CT | MGM FOXWOODS
The LGBT favorite, red-headed spitfire brings her wisecracker-y to the casino. Go. Laugh. Hail.
Bilicious
MON NOV 11
BOSTON | HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY
Waiting for Godot
ONGOING THRU SUN NOV 10
BOSTON | ARTSEMERSON
Internationally acclaimed interpretation of Beckett's work from Gare St Lazare Players Ireland and Dublin Theatre Festival. ArtsEmerson | artsemerson.org
Water by the Spoonful
ONGOING THRU SAT NOV 16
BOSTON | LYRIC STAGE
A group of seemingly unrelated characters search for human connection in a harsh and destabilizing world, looking for hope among their new-found “family.” Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St, Boston 02116, 617-585-5678 | lyricstage.com
We Will Rock You
ONGOING THRU SUN NOV 10
BOSTON | BROADWAY IN BOSTON
From London’s West End, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton. Broadway In Boston | www. broadwayinboston.com
PROVIDENCE | TRINITY REPERTORY THEATER
Sleeping Beauty
WED NOV 13 - SUN NOV 17
BOSTON | ARTSEMERSON
Magnificent marionettes from legendary Italian company. ArtsEmerson | artsemerson.org
The Cocktail Hour
FRI NOV 15 - SUN DEC 15
BOSTON | HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY
The pre-dinner cocktail is a revered ritual in John's parents' elegant home, but when he returns to announce that he has written a play about them, their calm demeanor dissolves. Huntington Theatre Company | www. huntingtontheatre.org/
A Christmas Story
WED NOV 20 - SUN DEC 8
BOSTON | BROADWAY IN BOSTON
The classic holiday movie arrives on stage! Broadway In Boston | www. broadwayinboston.com
BOSTON | CLUB CAFÉ
Bilicious returns to Boston for its fourth annual bisexual-themed multimedia variety show! Open to theater goers of all persuasions, this thought provoking evening playfully mixes serious issues with entertainment through comedy, poetry, music, dance and film.
THEATER Make Up Your Mind
ONGOING THRU SAT NOV 30
BOSTON | SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY
Alternately hilarious and touching, Kurt Vonnegut's Make Up Your Mind is about that rarest of all commodities, human connection. SpeakEasy Stage Company | www. SpeakEasyStage.com
On the Town
ONGOING THRU SUN JUN 8 Three sailors have only one day in NYC and they plan on seeing the sights, meeting a girl, and having the time of their lives. Leonard Bernstein's legendary score combines with Comden and Green's sharp and witty book and lyrics. Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St, Boston 02116, 617-585-5678 | lyricstage.com
Oz From the Ground Up through Feb 23 at the Schubert Theatre in Boston: Acrobatic daredevils from down-under bring pluck and sass to their wildly entertaining, irreverent performances. www.celebrityseries.org
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Lizzie Borden – Opera Annex
Impressionists on the Water
WED NOV 20 - SUN NOV 24
SAT NOV 9 - MON FEB 17
Based on the famous Fall River crime. Boston Lyric Opera | blo.org
Through nearly 60 oil paintings, works on paper, models and small craft, this exhibition illuminates the importance that access to the sea played in impressionism. Peabody Essex Museum | www.pem.org
BOSTON , MA | BOSTON LYRIC OPERA
SALEM, MA | PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
THU NOV 21 - FRI NOV 22
PROVIDENCE | TRINITY REPERTORY THEATER
Christina Ramberg
TUE NOV 12 - MON MAR 3
A New England premiere from Trinity Repertory Company. A wacky family comedy borrowing characters and plot lines from Chekhov: middleaged siblings Vanya and Sonia share a home in Bucks County, PA, where they bicker and complain about the circumstances of their lives. Suddenly, their movie star sister, Masha, swoops in with her hot young boyfriend, Spike, amid threats to sell the house. Trinity Repertory Theater | www.trinityrep.com
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org
Latoya Ruby Frazer
TUE NOV 12 - SUN MAR 2
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org EDITOR'S PICK
Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody
Christina Ramberg
WED NOV 13 - SUN MAR 2
THU NOV 21
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
LOWELL, MA | LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
The hilarious new musical that brings the naughty fun of the bestselling book to life. Sharp-witted comedy, musical numbers, sexy striptease performances from the leading hunk, and lots of surprises! Get there early for pre-show cocktails then stay to meet the cast and pose for a photo with Mr. Dangerous himself! Lowell Memorial Auditorium | lowellauditorium.com
Camelot
SAT NOV 23 - SUN DEC 22
John Singer Sargent’s Watercolors on exhibit at the Boston Mseum of Fine Arts through Mon Jan 20 www.mfa.org
VISUAL ARTS American Gestures:
Abstract Expressionism
CAMBRIDGE, MA | AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER
ONGOING THRU SUN JUN 1
Becky's New Car
American art of the 1940s and ’50s was dominated by the gestural style known as Abstract Expressionism: in love with spontaneity and happy accidents. Museum of Fine Arts/Boston | www.mfa.org
Tony Award winning musical weaves a tumultuous love triangle between King Arthur, his wife-to-be Guinevere, and Lancelot. American Repertory Theater | www. americanrepertorytheater.org
BOSTON | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 22
Amy Sillman: One Lump or Two
BOSTON | LYRIC STAGE
This clevery and witty nee comedy takes us on one woman’s unexpected, hilarious, and ultimately moving escape from the midlife doldrums. Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St, Boston 02116, 617-585-5678 | lyricstage.com
Mies Julie
SAT NOV 30 - SUN DEC 8
BOSTON | ARTSEMERSON
Explosive South African adaptation of Strindberg’s classic. ArtsEmerson | artsemerson.org
ONGOING THRU SUN JAN 5
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
The first museum survey of works by New York–based artist Amy Sillman traces her development from cartoon figures to her growing concern with the bodily and erotic dimensions of paint. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org EDITOR'S PICK
Beyond Human, ArtistAnimal Collaborations
ONGOING THRU SUN SEP 7
SALEM, MA | PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM The redesigned Art & Nature Center opens in October. Elephants paint pictures, dogs pose for photographs and birds create art installations. Peabody Essex Museum | www.pem.org
Dawn L. Petros: Sense of Place
ONGOING THRU SUN APR 13
BOSTON | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
Features the photographs, video art, and sculpture of this 2007 SMFA Masters degree recipient. Museum of Fine Arts/Boston | www.mfa.org EDITOR'S PICK
John Singer Sargent's Watercolors
ONGOING THRU MON JAN 20
BOSTON | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
More than 90 of Sargent’s dazzling works, this exhibition combines for the first time his two most significant collections of watercolor paintings. Museum of Fine Arts/Boston | www.mfa.org EDITOR'S PICK
She Who Tells a Story
ONGOING THRU SUN JAN 12
BOSTON | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
“She Who Tells a Story” introduces the pioneering work of twelve leading women photographers from Iran and the Arab world. Museum of Fine Arts/Boston | www.mfa.org EDITOR'S PICK
Think Pink
ONGOING THRU MON MAY 26
BOSTON | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
Explore the changing meaning of pink in art and fashion. Museum of Fine Arts/Boston | www.mfa.org
90 | BOSTON SPIRIT
A central figure in feminist art, Ramberg explored traditional notions of beauty and their relationship to our bodies in her paintings from the 1960s and 70s exhibiting a wide range of influences including costume history, surrealism, outsider art, Pop art, and comics. The exhibition features work dating from 1971 to 1981, a period in the late artist’s career when she moved towards increasing abstraction of the female form. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org
LaToya Ruby Frazier: Witness
WED NOV 13 - SUN MAR 2
BOSTON | INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
Frazier’s stunning black-and-white photographs explore psychological connections of intergenerational relationships within her family and community. Over the past nine years, Frazier has focused on images that deal directly with issues of access to health care and the social, economic, and environmental decline of the town of Braddock, the working-class Pittsburgh suburb where the artist was born and raised. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston | www.icaboston.org
Future Beauty: AvantGarde Japanese Fashion
SAT NOV 16 - SUN JAN 26
SALEM, MA | PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM Japanese designers such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto reshaped fashion in the early 1980s. Peabody Essex Museum | www.pem.org
Boston Spirit Oct_Boston Spirit Oct 13 10/17/13 2:12 PM Page 1
sCullers jazz Club Upcoming Featured Performances November 14
BOBBI CARREY & WILL McMILLAN November 29 & 30
ARTURO SANDOVAL December 3
PETER WHITE CHRISTMAS December 27 & 28
LINDA EDER Your Source for Equalityminded People, Places, Services and Adventures in New England and beyond.
December 31, New Year’s Eve
PIECES OF A DREAM January 15
MICHAEL RICCA January 17
GREGORY PORTER
For information on including your business, e-mail Jenn@BostonSpiritMagazine.com
WHERE PATIENTS ARE OUR DENTAL FAMILY. STATE-OF-THE-ART, SOLAR POWERED DENTAL OFFICE
DOUBLETREE SUITES B Y H I LT O N ™
BOSTON – CAMBRIDGE RESERVATIONS: (617) 562-4111 ON-LINE TICKETING: www.scullersjazz.com • SHOW TIMES: Tu-Sat 8 & 10 pm
Becky’s New Car STEVEN DiETZ by
Directed by
LARRY COEN Nov 29 – Dec 22
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“A satisfying comedy of modern manners!” – Seattle Times 617.585.5678
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lyricstage.com
140 Clarendon Street, Copley Square, Boston Group/senior/student/parking discounts available.
NOV|DEC 2013 | 91
BEAUTY | BODY
HOME | GARDEN
Botox®, Dermal Fillers & Skin Therapies Rejuvenate yourself with state of the art cosmetic injections and advanced skin therapies and treatments, including: Botox®. Juvederm®, Radiesse®, Belotero® and Ultherapy. Personalized, artistic and compassionate skin care administered by Advanced Practice Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Nelson Aquino. Two convenient locations: Office of Joseph Russo, MD, FACS: 575 Boylston Street Newton Centre, MA 02459 and
Furniture ... Made for Real Life Circle Furniture offers an eclectic selection of furniture for traditional and contemporary homes, fast delivery times for made-to-order items, corporate philanthropy, support of the regional economy, and most of all, fun.
Beauty Medicine Boston
1318 Beacon Street, Ste. 7 (2nd floor) Brookline, MA 617.953.6261 http://www.beautymedicineboston.com
Boston's Only Urban Resort Destination Spa With uncompromising quality and a staff of award-winning professionals, EMERGE beckons as an urban oasis of unsurpassed luxury, providing relaxation and rejuvenation for men, women and couples. Additionally, The Men's Club at EMERGE — designed for the personalized, fine grooming needs of the urban gentleman — offers precision hair cuts and shaves from a Master Barber, scalp treatments, massage, a steam room, a flat screen TV and full Internet access. Conveniently located on Newbury Street, EMERGE is classic, traditional and European in design and atmosphere. 275 Newbury Street Boston, MA 617-437-0006 www.EMERGESPASALON.com
31 St. James Ave. Boston, MA 617-778-0887 www.circlefurniture.com
Designer Bath
877-559-2284 www.DesignerBath.com/spirit/
Dover Rug
Enjoy the latest revolutions in spa + salon services Sleek, innovative and cutting edge, G2O offers men, women and couples a comprehensive program of contemporary spa and salon services and treatments devoted to wellness, health and rejuvenation. Recognizing water as a life force that sustains and nourishes, G2O celebrates a new generation of signature services and amenities. Highlights include The Bali Paradise Experience, The Brine Inhalation Therapy Room, the Skylight Hot Tub, stateof-the-art sunless tanning technology, a Penthouse Terrace and more. Providing “The Formula For The Essentials of Life,” G2O is Boston's "green" day spa on Newbury Street. 338 Newbury Street Boston, MA 617-262-2220 www.g2ospasalon.com
Seligman Dental Designs
Personalized dental care; healthy, beautiful smiles; comfortable, caring service in our state-of-the-art dental facility in the heart of the South End. It’s no secret that healthy teeth and a radiant smile can improve your appearance, your self-esteem and your overall health. Whether your goal is to restore your smile or maintain good oral health, you can benefit from Dr. James R. Seligman’s comprehensive approach to dental care. 617-451-0011 SouthEndDental.com
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Your Weight. Your Life. Take Control. The country’s largest and most respected network of weight loss programs, includes an adults-only residential facility with upscale amenities, state-of-the art facilities, and chef prepared meals.
721 Worcester Street (Route 9) Natick, MA 508-651-3500 www.doverrug.com
Gardner Mattress Corporation A New England favorite for generations, Gardner Mattress has been manufacturing quality custom-sized, odd-sized and handmade mattresses in their Salem factory for over 70 years! Though their landmark location is North of Boston in Salem, they also service satisfied customers throughout New England. At Gardner Mattress, you’ll find mattresses including lace-tufted, layered latex, pocketed coil, quilted cotton and ivory plush, all handmade with natural materials. Located in Salem, Woburn and Newton, MA and Rye, NH. www.GardnerMattress.com
Lucia Lighting
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bright ideas begin at lucia Lucia Lighting & Design Our unique lighting store features 12 showrooms in 8,000 square feet of a lovingly restored mansion staffed with certified lighting specialists who are both educated and customer focused. Whether you want to visit our showroom or have one of our team visit you at your location in the Boston area, lucÃa lighting & design is the answer. 311 Western Ave. (RT-107 Lynn, MA 781-595-0026 www.lucialighting.com
S+H Construction, Inc.
Located in Cambridge, S+H Construction is a multi-award winning firm: named “Best General Contractor” in 2007 by Boston Magazine and “Best Kitchen Remodeling” in 2008 by Boston Home Magazine. Celebrating 30 years of general contracting excellence, S+H specializes in renewable energy, custom home building, residential renovations, historical restorations, and landscaping & site work. S+H Construction is proud to be an underwriter of NPR station WBUR,90.9FM, Boston. www.shconstruction.com
92 | BOSTON SPIRIT
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New Showroom Now Open Dover Rug & Home Dover Rug & Home offers the largest selection of fine floor coverings and window treatments in New England. Visit their BRAND NEW location at 721 Worcester Street in Natick (RT9) As the “Best of Boston Home 2011” recipient, their larger showroom has something for every budget. Natick, MA and Hanover, MA locations.
Gardner Mattress
G2O Spa & Salon
or call us at 1-866-364-0808 wellspringweightloss.com
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Bath and kitchen products, since 1945. Experience our beautiful 4,500 square foot showroom, north of Boston.
EMERGE Spa & Salon
Wellspring Weight Loss
Circle Furniture
Seasons Four
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The Outdoor Living Store For over 40 years, Seasons Four has been a destination for everyone in New England that values outdoor spaces. We are a trusted source for quality, heirloom furniture for your sunroom, porch, patio, deck, and garden. We also provide unique plant material, statuary, fountains and garden accessories to complete your outdoor room.
Where the accent is on family since 1985.
1265 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, MA 781-861-1200 seasonsfour.com
Yale Appliance & Lighting
Turn it On!! Over 3500 lights, 800 appliances and 200 plumbing products on display. We service what we sell. 296 Freeport St Dorchester, MA 1-866-849-7838 www.yaleappliance.com
PROFESSIONAL | SERVICES Burns & Levinson, LLP
PROUD SUPPORTER OF LGBT ORGANIZATIONS 46
Burns & Levinson LLP, a leading mid-size law firm with a clientcentric culture, has over 125 attorneys in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia. We work with entrepreneurs, emerging businesses, private and public companies and individuals in sophisticated business transactions, litigation and private client services — family law, trusts & estates, marriage and divorce law. 617-345-3000 www.burnslev.com
From our family to yours.
Since 1985 the Accent family has been delivering customers to their special occasions in style. You can always count on our gorgeous cars, impeccable customer service, and competitive rates. Visit accentlimo.com/spirit for online reservations or call
800.696.5466
WEDDINGS / NIGHTS OUT /ANNIVERSARIES / SPECIAL OCCASIONS / AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Financial planning for same sex couples Similar goals. Different challenges. Financial planning for Same sex couples face unique challenges when it comes to financial planning. We will help you develop a plan that’s Financial planning for successful professionals appropriate to your needs—one that takes into account not only where you want go, but also how you want to get there. same sexto couples Similar goals.
Different challenges. Advice you can trust starts with a conversation. Same sex couples and the LGBT Similar goals. Different challenges. community share similar goals with other Same sex couples face unique challenges when it comes to successful professionals, yet we may financial planning. will help you develop a plancontact that’s For information, For We information, face unique challenges when it comes contact ® ® ® Peter Hamilton Nee, AIFnot , CRPC appropriate to your into account only Peterneeds—one Hamilton that Nee,takes CRPC ® ® to financial planning. We will help you Robert S. Edmunds, CFP , CRPC where you wantVice to go, but also how you want to get there. President–Investments develop a plan that’s appropriate to your William Street, 3rd Floor needs—one that takes into account not 3rda55 Advice you can starts with conversation. 55trust William Street, Floor Wellesley, MA 02481 only where you want to go, butMA also 02481 how 781-446-8918 | 800-828-0717 Wellesley, 781-446-8918 800-828-0717 you want to get there. ubs.com/fa/peternee peter.nee@ubs.com ubs.com/fa/robertedmunds Advice you For can trust starts contact information, with a conversation. Peter Hamilton Nee, CRPC®
Wellspring is the premier weight loss lifestyle program on the globe. – Dr. Phil, 2012
Vice President–Investments ubs.com/fa/peternee 55 William Street, 3rd Floor Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and CRPC® are registered service marks of Wellesley, MAand 02481 Chartered Planning Counselor UBS CRPC areServices registeredInc. service of the of College the CollegeRetirement for Financial Planning®. Financial is amarks subsidiary UBS for AG. 781-446-8918 800-828-0717 . UBS Financial Services Inc. isreserved. a subsidiary of UBS AG. FinancialUBS Planning ©2010 Financial Services Inc. All rights Member SIPC. ©2010 UBS Financial Services Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. 12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP peter.nee@ubs.com SM
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NOV|DEC 2013 | 93
ArtBar
art + eat + retreat ArtBar is a warm, intimate retreat for food and art lovers located at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA. The ArtBar boasts stellar selections from the hotel's world-class art collection while the restaurant features innovative cuisine, a well curated wine list and seasonal specialty cocktails. Patio seating along the Charles River, with full bar service offer unparalleled riverside dining with views of the Boston Skyline.
Your financial needs are unique. Call me today at (877) 524.5522
Frank X Addonizio CFP®, CRPC®, CLTC Financial Advisor
20 Park Plaza Suite 465 Boston, MA 02116 877.524.5522 x 202
40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard Cambridge, MA 617-806-4122 artbarcambridge.com
frank.x.addonizio@ampf.com
Awarded 2013 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager SM Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA
Harvard University
Harvard University Careers If you can work, you can work at Harvard! We are so much more than just students and professors. We are the 5th largest private employer in Massachusetts, with over 16,000 employees. Almost any job you can think of exists at the University. employment.harvard.edu
Reproductive Science Center
A pioneer in helping lesbians and gay men become parents, the Reproductive Science Center of New England serves clients throughout New England, and even across the United States and Europe. Their Medical Director, Samuel Pang, MD, is a member of the gay community and they are committed to providing quality, personal care for their diverse family of patients. gayivf.rscnewengland.com
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
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Peter Hamilton Nee and Robert S. Edmunds UBS is proud to support Boston Spirit magazine, and salutes Fenway Health for their faithful service to our community. Please contact us any time. Peter Hamilton Nee, AIF, CRPC, VP, Investments and Robert S. Edmunds, CFP, CRPC ubs.com/ team/neeedmunds. Wellesley, MA 781-446-8918 or 800-828-0717 ubs.com/team/neeedmunds
RETAIL | SHOPPING Lux Bond & Green
A family-run business since 1898, at Lux Bond & Green we’re known by the company we keep. Rolex, Panerai, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Baume & Mercier, Piaget, Mikimoto, David Yurman, John Hardy, and Hermés are just a few of the brands we carry. Our services include: Appraisals, Jewelry and Watch Repair, Custom Design, Wedding & Gift Registry and more. www.lbgreen.com
TRAVEL | ADVENTURE 5 Star Travel Services
94 | BOSTON SPIRIT
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Great Location. Great Amenities. Boston Marriott Copley Place Located in the Back Bay and a few blocks from the South End, the Boston Marriott Copley Place is perfect for business or leisure travel. The hotel features deluxe rooms, Champions, Connexion Lounge, Starbucks, indoor pool, fitness center, 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and is minutes from top attractions. 110 Huntington Avenue (Boston) , MA 617-236-5800 http://goo.gl/soiy38
Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston
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Spectacular city views, luxury accommodations, regional cuisine, and contemporary art All of our 400 well-appointed guest rooms and suites offer guests the comforts of home with first-class amenities and overlook the Charles River, Cambridge or Boston's stunning skyline. The Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston features both casual and elegant dining and delicious inspired cuisine in two highly acclaimed riverfront restaurants with seasonal patios, ArtBar and Restaurant Dante. 40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard Cambridge, MA 617-806-4200 www.sonesta.com/Boston/
WEDDING | EVENTS Accent Limousine
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LGBT Owned & Operated Accent Limousine & Car Service We provide professional transportation services throughout Greater Boston and the Metro-West. We grow our client base every year because we care for our clients as only a ‘Family’ business can. Our chauffeurs are professionally attired, knowledgeable, reliable, and friendly, and their professionalism and driving abilities will immediately earn your trust and confidence. We look forward to driving you on your next special occasion. www.accentlimo.com/spirit
DJ Mocha
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Affordable great music for your party! Boston Spirit’s official Cruise DJ for four years. Bringing, Great Music and Fun to your Events! All genres: pop, jazz, techno, world beat, swing, disco & more! 617-784-1663 MochaDJ.com
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Since 1982, 5 Star has been providing optimal travel services to our Community, and is one of the most respected and prestigious gay travel companies in the country. It has received numerous awards worldwide for philanthropic contributions to the community. Their staff has traveled the world. They provide both Corporate and Leisure Travel, and specialize in Cruises. Call 5 Star Travel for all your travel needs. Remember: Without a Travel Agent, you are on your own. www.5star-travel.com
Marriott Copley Place
Gourmet Caterers
Peace of mind. Now that’s a wedding vow. This is a day when only perfection will do. GourmetCaterers’ attention to detail means peace of mind, so you can enjoy your wedding along with your guests. Whether your dream wedding is a large event or intimate affair, Gourmet’s team of innovative planners, chefs, stylists and servers will be by your side to ensure that everything is perfectly, uniquely, your own. GourmetCaterers.com
RELAX | RENEW | REFLECT
Going to New York?
World-Class Luxury Guesthouse and Spa
Swank, fully-furnished pads for business or leisure. Singles, couples, families. WiFi, amazing views, minutes from NYC.
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Konditor Meister
14 Johnson Street, Provincetown | 800.487.0132
www.carpediemguesthouse.com
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Konditor Meister — Voted #1 Wedding Cakes in Boston Extraordinarily Beautiful & Elaborate Wedding Cakes & fine European pastries. Delicious Custom Holiday & Party Cakes for all occasions. 32 Wood Road (Just South of Boston) Braintree, MA 781-849-1970 KonditorMeister.com
Long's Jewelers
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ha c o M DJ
Your Source for Diamonds, Wedding Rings, Fine Jewelry & Watches Long's Jewelers has been in the business of happy moments since 1878. We're honored to help our customers celebrate milestones like engagements, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and retirements and not to mention "just because" moments! Whether you're looking for diamonds, wedding rings, fine jewelry, Swiss watches, awards, or corporate gifts, Long's has you covered. Boston, Braintree, Burlington, Natick, and Peabody, MA 877-845-6647 www.longsjewelers.com
Ptown Parties
Catering | Events The premier caterer on the lower cape, Ptown Parties is a full service catering and event planning company. Let them cater your next cocktail party, clambake or wedding, in your home, inn, rental condo or yacht. Let Ptown Parties take care of all the hassles, so you can enjoy a carefree day in Provincetown, and a great party that night! 508-487-6450 Ptownparties.com
high impact | low proole photo and video documentation
LET’S DANCE! www.mochadj.com
NOV|DEC 2013 | 95
CODA Entertainment STORY Tony Giampetruzzi
‘Can We Talk?’ Joan Rivers comes to New England For anyone in the know, those words belong to just one person: Joan Rivers. For more than five decades, she has endured as one of the most unforgiving stand-up comics, she has sustained an incomparable repertoire on TV (from Johnny Carson in the ‘70s and ‘80s to late night and daytime in the ‘90s, to the Red Carpet, QVC , Fashion Police, Celebrity Apprentice and beyond today), to accomplished writer, and, now, darling of social media. Two million followers on Twitter keep this 80-something relevant in a world of millenials, and her new Internet talk show sensation In Bed with Joan is getting the type of reviews that were once reserved for Must See TV. Rivers will be talking at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland on Friday, November 22 and the Wilbur Theater in Boston on November 23, and she recently chatted with Boston Spirit in anticipation of her swing through New England. [BS] Of all of your most recent
projects — Fashion Police, Joan And Melissa, QVC … the list just goes on, “In Bed with Joan” is my favorite. How did this new ‘net sensation come about? [JR] There’s nothing I love
nothing more than just sitting around and interviewing people, and, I really can’t do it on Fashion Police because it’s all about fashion, and I can’t do it on Joan and Melissa because that’s all reality. But I just want to sit in bed with
people and talk to them. So we do the show in a terrible little room that Melissa has in her house. And, it’s all very off guard because we’re lying in bed. The show was just listed as a “Must-See” in Entertainment Weekly, isn’t that exciting? [BS] I love it! A few weeks ago
you interviewed Lance Bass from ‘n sync — what’s it like being in bed with a gay man?
[JR] Well, that’s been the
case all my life. He was so cute and funny and adorable and charming and smart and witty. You know, all the good gay qualities.
[BS] Who do you dream
of being in bed with?
[JR] On camera? Oh god. I’d love
to get Meryl Streep, wouldn’t that be fun? Or George Clooney to get him to tell me the truth about why he’s never been married. Or Tom Cruise, and we’d give him some truth serum before we get him in bed, wouldn’t that be great?!
[BS] Wow.
[BS] So, Liz goes.
[BS] At the end of every episode
[JR] See, you asked! And
[JR] Well, she went! She was
of In Bed with Joan, you give your guest the opportunity to look at the camera and tell someone in their life that they are sorry, and then they have the opportunity to tell someone to got to hell. Who would get your apology? [JR] I’m sorry? OK, I’m going
to get very serious now. There was a girl in third grade, Cynthia something, who I didn’t know had cerebral palsy, and I was with her one day and she said something in that garbled voice, and I made fun of her. You know, “oh mwaa, mwaa, mwaa.” And then I found out that was the only way she could speak. To this DAY, I just want to kill myself every time I think about it.
96 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Joan Rivers
who do I want to go to hell? Jesus, where do you start? Get in line! We gotta do that one alphabetically.
[BS] You recently had Alyssa Milano
as a guest, and you have a segment called “Dead or Alive” where your daughter, Melissa, asks the guest to erase one of two things. Alyssa was asked to choose between Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor. She chose to erase Judy. Who would you have chosen of the two?
[JR] Judy lives. Have you
listened to her records? My god. The voice. My god, my god! When Judy Garland comes out of the speakers it just stops you dead in your tracks! Just wow, wow, wow!
terrific and beautiful and a great actress, but she was never a woman’s woman. I met her at a dinner party, and it was six men and me, and she would come around: “hello, hello, hello, skip. Hello, hello, hello.” She just wasn’t interested in ladies.
[BS] There was a rumor that
Judy may have been interested in ladies at one point.
[JR] Oh, please. Judy was just
interested in booze and pills. But, oh boy could she sing. [x]