What’s HOT South Florida (10/11/2012 – 10/18/2012)

October 2, 2012

This past weekend I headed up to our gay neighboring city of Orlando for the annual Orlando Gay Pride festival and parade which is always fun time. I arrived late Thursday night and checked in to the beautiful time shares at the Parliament house. During the day I did a little shopping and then Jim, Scott and I met up with DJ Scott Robert and went to lunch at White Wolf, which is a wonderful eclectic cafe in downtown Orlando that displays lots of beautiful antiques. After a cat nap and doing some work Craig Meistel (owner of Revolution) picked us up and off to dinner we went. We ate at the beautiful, upscale Citrus, which is an American Fare restaurant also in Downtown Orlando. We then went to the Miss GayUSofA at Large pageant at the Parliament House which was very well organized and fun to watch. Congratulations to 1st Alternate Florida’s own Angelica Sanchez and the newly crowned Miss GayUSofA at Large Dorae Saunders. Also that night we went over to Revolution which was packed as it is their Fuego Fridays (imagine me at a Latin Night…LOL). This night was packed with lots of Latin men and woman and features an incredible show in the Majestic Lounge starring Lisa Lane and Maya Andrews with weekly guests. We headed back to South Florida Saturday after the festival to be able to cover the some of the Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and the RBC Roast of Jackson Padgett and Reece Darham at the Manor (Shout out to Mark Martin who was the best roaster ever!). However, Since we were driving on Saturday night we missed 2 events that I heard were both incredible; Debbie Gibson at Parliament House and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Dinner at the Fontainebleau. This was a long weekend and I am exhausted, but I also had such a great time!

Thursday, October 11

Smarty Pants’ Thursday Night Showcase presents the one and only Nikki Adams with 2 shows at 8 and 10 pm.

Friday, October 12

Latinos Salud presents a Hispanic Heritage and Food Bazaar at 8 pm where you can get a taste of typical dishes, music and customs with a hint of rainbow from several countries across Latin America. For more information, go to LatinosSalud.org.

Tonight is the start of Bill’s 17^th anniversary weekend with Growl’s Bear Appreciation Party with special guest video star Chris Tyler.

Bubble Gum Fridays at the Manor presents direct from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 1 and the upcoming all Star Season Shannel.

“Keep The Lights On” opens tonight at the Tower Theater in Miami and the Classic Gateway Theatre in Fort Lauderdale. “Keep The Lights On” chronicles an emotionally and sexually charged journey of two men in New York City through love, friendship, and addiction. Documentary filmmaker Erik (Thure Lindhardt) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. Individually and together, they are risk takers—compulsive, and fueled by drugs and sex. In an almost decade-long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself. Director Ira Sachs’s fearlessly personal screenplay is anchored by Lindhardt, who embodies Erik’s isolation and vulnerability with a gentle presence. Harrowing and romantic, visceral and layered, “Keep The Lights On” is a film that looks at love and all of its manifestations, taking it to dark depths and bringing it back to a place of grace.

Saturday, October 13

Bill’s 17^th anniversary weekend continues with Frenchie Davis live in concert at 11 pm with a meet and greet afterwards. For more info on this event or on Frenchie, see the feature in this week’s magazine.

The Manor has a big night with 2 huge events. In the Epic Lounge they present Propaganda starring circuit DJ Tracy Young and if Tracy is spinning you know it’s going to be a packed house! In the Latin Lounge and patio they present Tropicana 3, a celebration of Cuba’s finest entertainment complex starring Erika Norell, Lady Charise and some surprise entertainment as well as DJ larry Larr spinning some of the hottest Latin tunes. 10:30pm-4am with No Cover!

Hilton Wolman’s monthly Salvation party at Score presents Hawaii (Aloha, it’s time to get lei-ed) with International Surfer/DJ Alyson Calagna with an opening set by Troy Landon

The Depot Cabana Bar and Grill presents the official NGBA (National Gay Basketball Association) Pool party from 6 to 10 pm where they are welcoming teams, fans and friends.

Tamarac Theatre Of Performing Arts presents “The Pajama Game” from today until Nov, 4 with show Times on Sat 2pm & 8pm Sun 2pm. For reservations, information or group sales call 954-726-7898. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at TTOPA.org.

Sunday, October 14

The Royal Palms monthly Royal T Dance takes place from 4 to 8 pm and stars DJs Jason Gonzalez and Chuck Knowles.

Bill’s 17^th anniversary weekend ends with Misty Eyez’s Trannie Palace at 10:30 pm with a special surprise guest.

In the highly anticipated third edition of the yearly free community event which serves as the sneak preview of its upcoming arts season, the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center presents Curtain Up from noon to 3 p.m. The family-oriented open house features a Latin fusion jam concert, the hottest new food truck sensations, ticket giveaways and art activities with Young At Art Museum and Puppet Network. Parking will be available at the Harbor Garage (N.E. 188th Street) with shuttles running continuously to the Cultural Center.

Monday, October 15

The Boardwalk presents in honor of Michael Ross’s memory a turnabout night to benefit the Poverello Center. Come see the entire staff of hunky bartenders in full drag with 3 live shows at 8pm, 10pm and 12 am.

Wednesday, October 17

The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce presents its monthly networking program, the sandpipers Networker, held on the middle Wednesday of each month. This month’s location is Williams McCall Gallery located at 110 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach. Works from Provincetown artists Madeliene Abling, Ernie Bynum, Joan Cobb Marsh, Mike Wright, and John Dowd will be on display. This free cocktail networking event and business card exchange takes place from 5-7pm and offers drawings for prizes, complimentary appetizers and wine and is limited to 50 people. RSVP requested at rsvp@gaybizmiami.com“>rsvp@gaybizmiami.com or 305-673-4440.

HOT Stuff

Fans of Judy Garland will soon be saying “Meet Me in Aitkin,” with the launch today of the nation’s first “National Judy Garland Talent Search.” In advance of the 75^th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz in 2014, the National Judy Garland Talent Search hopes to find one finalist per U.S. state to compete for the national title. Contestants, ranging from 18 to 45 years of age, will be judged based on their overall appearance and vocal talent. Individual state finalists will gather in October, 2013 in Aitkin, MN, at the newly restored Aitkin Opera House at Butler’s, the exact location where the Minnesota native, then named Frances Gumm, performed on-stage as part of the Gumm Sisters vaudeville act in 1925 at just three years old. The winner of the nationwide contest will receive a cash prize of $10,000 and a set of professional headshots, in addition to widespread press exposure on local, regional and national TV news outlets, along with national recognition. They will also make an appearance at the 2014 Judy Garland Festival, held every year in Garland’s birthplace of Grand Rapids. For more information on the National Judy Garland Talent Search, contact Sylvia Allen at Sylvia@allenconsulting.com“>Sylvia@allenconsulting.com, or call 732-946-8032.

This is HOT

Barbra Streisand’s private music vault holds all the master tapes she’s recorded for five decades. Now, she’s sharing 11 previously unreleased songs, spanning a cross-section of her career from 1963 to the present. The collection titled, Release Me is now available on CD.
Over the past year, Barbra has painstakingly gone through the recordings to come up with this collection, Release Me. Highlights include: “Didn’t We” written by Jimmy Webb – recorded in 1970 for an unreleased album project titled The Singer; the standard “Willow Weep For Me” – an unreleased track recorded in 1967 for Simply Streisand, arranged by Ray Ellis noted for his legendary work with Billie Holiday; A striking version of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going Rain Today,” with Barbra on vocals and Newman on piano – from the 1971 Stoney End sessions; an unreleased studio version of “With One More Look At You” from A Star Is Born; Two tracks from the unreleased sequel to the acclaimed The Broadway Album, titled Back To Broadway – “Home” (from The Wiz) and “How Are Things In Glocca Morra ? / Heather On The Hill” (from Finian’s Rainbow / Brigadoon). Reflecting on the album, Streisand noted, “The thing I’m happiest about is that I still have great affection for all these songs. They appealed to me at the time…and still do. Listening now, I actually think to myself, ‘The girl wasn’t half bad.’” With the exception of two songs where the original masters couldn’t be located, all the tracks on Release Me were transferred from first generation master tapes. Every attention was paid to preserving the sonic perspective of the sessions as they were originally recorded and mixed. Speaking of the unreleased recordings that reside in Barbra’s music vault, her long-time A&R man and co-producer of Release Me, Jay Landers says in his liner notes, “All of Barbra’s glorious music…her ideas…the collaborative efforts of the fortunate songwriters, arrangers, mixers and producers who have come into her orbit…the experiments…the occasional missteps and the many triumphs – all driven represent the unstoppable force of one woman’s vision.”