What’s HOT! South Florida, October 21, 2010

On Monday, October 11th the Law Offices of George Castrataro hosted a fundraiser for Gary Resnick to continue as the Mayor of Wilton Manors. On Thursday the Pride Center at Equality Park (formerly the GLCC) had one of its best fundraisers of the year at the home of Mike Trost. Once again Mike generously opened his home and the masses attending raised thousands of dollars for this much worthy organization. This past weekend Bill’s Filling Station celebrated its 15th anniversary and its 3rd anniversary on The Drive. I went on Saturday when they were featuring Madonna impersonator Melissa Totten, who I must say wowed the crowd with her spot on impersonation and fabulous voice. In addition, I was lucky enough to chat with Melissa backstage and she is a really nice and warm person who has been impersonating Madonna for just shy of 20 years.  Congrats to Jackson, Mark and the entire Bill’s team for a fabulous anniversary weekend! Afterwards I headed down to Noche Latina Saturdays at The Manor for their tribute to the Tropicana.

Gay Events in South Florida This Week

Thursday, October 21

Broward House presents their yearly gala, The Little Gala of Horrors, at the Signature Grand from 7 to 11 pm. The gala will feature casino games, DJ and dancing, awards ceremony, live and silent auctions, gourmet sit down dinner, surprise ghoulish entertainment and a pre-dinner spooktacular reception. The night will honor Congressman Ron Klein, Jackson Padgette and Mark Negrete (Bill’s and Alibi Corporation) and Bruce Chaskin, Bruce Silverstein and Michael Berry of the Signature Grand. Tickets and tables available at BrowardHouse.org

The Palm Beach Improv Comedy Club and Dinner Theater presents Sandra Bernhard live tonight through Sunday. For more information or to order tickets go to PalmBeachImprov.com or call 561-833-1812.

Friday, October 22

Living Room presents their 2nd anniversary extravaganza with the theme 7 Deadly Sins and they suggest that it’s time for you to sin. What I have been told from Mark and Christian is that they will be decorating the club in a way that has not been seen before. Christian said, “Watch out South Florida, we are going to blow you away.”

B2M at Johnny’s presents DJ TPromix’s annual Scorpio Birthday Extravaganza (T-Pro is a Scorpio) hosted by Kevin Aviance. The night will feature no cover for Scorpios and surprises for eveyone all night long.

The Manor presents Raven direct from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Drag U.”

Club Sugar, in association with AlexInfiniti.com, Hollywood Records and Milancita.com, brings you an official CD release event for Selena Gomez and the Scene’s “A Year Without Rain.” The night will feature free giveaways, DJ Jarell with performances by TP Lords, Sasha Sky and Kiara Knight.

Saturday, October 23

The 3rd annual Explore/EXPO takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center (Hall C), 1901 Convention Center Drive, from 12 noon to 5 pm. Explore/EXPO is a business expo for the South Florida community, gay and allied, where Miami Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) member companies can showcase their products and services to the general public while interacting with hundreds of fellow exhibitors. Explore/EXPO is presented by MDGLCC in collaboration with chamber member IGLTA (International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association), the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Herald and Miami.com. This event is free and open to the public!

The grand opening of The Bay starts at 10 pm with the theme A Night of Illusions, where nothing is ever what it seems to be. The night stars DJ Twisted Dee. For more information see the feature in this issue.

After the success of their last Foam Party in September and the response from their customers, Atomic Boom presents another Foam Party with DJ Scott Mann.

The Manor presents special guest DJ David Knapp in the Epic Nightclub with performances by Erika Norell. They also feature the Latin Lounge and Patio with DJ Larry Larr.

Sunday, October 24

Scandals Saloon presents their monthly Gospel Jubilee starring Lady Fancy and the Jubilettes at 6 pm. This is good ole fashion southern gospel music. There will be special performances by the Happy Goodman Family and the Spear Family.

The Ramrod presents Mr. Rubber Fort Lauderdale contest at 10 pm sharp. They also invite you to come out and meet Mr. Rubber International Stephane Donaldson.

Comprehensive AIDS Project of Palm Beach County (CAP) invites you to drag out your glitter, glitz and glamour and mark your calendar for fun to celebrate their 25th anniversary at 6 pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Palm Beach. CAPtivating Divas will honor CAP’s 25th anniversary with a Las Vegas-style show complete with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and divalicious entertainment. For more information go to CAPPBC.org

HOT stuff

Yes we can can, Mona’s presents a canned food drive for the Sanctuary House for the Thanksgiving holiday. Bring in 2 or more cans of food and Mona will buy you a cocktail anytime from now until Thanksgiving. Jerry and Mona asks that you please help them build a wall of food!

The South Florida Lambda Chorale, under the direction of Gary Keating, will present the ground-breaking “Sing for the Cure, A Proclamation of Hope,” for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation on Thursday, October 28th at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School, 1410 County Line Road, on the Miami-Broward county border at 7:30 pm. Commissioned jointly by the Dallas Women’s Chorus and Turtle Creek Chorale, the Lambda Chorale and two choruses from Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School (MKHS), accompanied by orchestra, will honor the tenth anniversary of the work. This is the second time Keating has combined the Lambda Chorale, which he co-founded with Carmine Martorilli in 1991, with his high school students.  “Our first joint concert was a great success and we look forward to this concert being as successful.”  The Chorale, now in it’s 19th season, is a mixed chorus of men and women which celebrates the great diversity of its membership.  The Chorale meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 at the Center for Spiritual Living in Wilton Manors.  For information, call 954-650-0143. Tickets are $15 and available through Lambda Chorale members or the high school.

For the first time in 45 years, the entire cast of “The Sound of Music” will gather for a once-in-a-lifetime reunion on “Oprah” show stage on Friday, October 29th.  Stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, along with fellow cast members Charmian Carr (“Liesl”), Nicholas Hammond (“Friedrich”), Heather Menzies-Urich (“Louisa”), Duane Chase (“Kurt”), Angela Cartwright (“Brigitta”), Debbie Turner (“Marta”) and Kym Karath (“Gretl”) will reunite and reveal the stories behind one of the world’s most beloved movie musicals.  Together for the first time in nearly half a century, the cast shares secrets from the set, reminiscences about their time together and what their lives have been like in the years since the movie was released.  Finally, the von Trapp Children – a singing group featuring members of the real von Trapp family – pay their own special tribute to the film that made their family name known throughout the world.

International superstar Mariah Carey is putting the finishing touches on “Merry Christmas II You,” her second career album of holiday tunes, arriving November 2nd on the Island Def Jam Music Group.  Highlighting the long-awaited new album is a brand new recording of Mariah’s all-time standard, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” In addition to traditional yuletide fare – “The First Noel,”  “Little Drummer Boy,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and more – “Merry Christmas II You,”also contains four original songs composed by Mariah, including the new single, “Oh Santa,” and many more surprises for the fans.  Producers on the new album include American Idol’s Randy Jackson, multi-platinum hit-making producer Jermaine Dupri, James Poyser (acclaimed producer for Aretha Franklin, The Roots, Lauryn Hill and more), and five-time Oscar nominee and Grammy/Tony/Emmy award winning composer Marc Shaiman. “All I Want For Christmas is You” was the featured single from Merry Christmas, which has sold over 12 million to date.  “Merry Christmas II You,”is Mariah Carey’s 13th studio album, and follows up her worldwide multi-million-selling “Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel” (released September 2009), her multi-platinum “E=MC²” (2008), and worldwide 10 million selling “The Emancipation Of Mimi (2005).”

Scott Holland

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