under the gaydar Why Walk?

Transcription

1 under the gaydar by Tony Leggio Photo by: Larry Graham, GrahamStudioOne.COM Book of the Month Self Help Books are flooding the market, but one thanks to Oprah and her book club, has become a worldwide phenomenon. Well, my column is not about that one, The Secret which has spawned a movie and has been printed in several languages. It is about another one that has been out for several years called The Answer. At first I thought this book might be a sarcastic retort to its predecessor, but what I found was an insightful novel that goes beyond the first book to help readers understand their full potential. Like the first book, The Answer is based on faith, but not only religious faith, faith in one s own powers and capabilities. The Answer helps people achieve their goal in a more tangible way then just to see it, believe it, put it out to the universe and then it will come to you. That is all well and good, but believing you are going to lose weight is no good unless you start exercising, or getting that promotion is not good unless you start working harder. Whereas this novel has mainly a has ever struggled in business, or cannot seem to find their niche will relate to it. I highly recommend this novel and its teachings are nothing extraordinary but extremely relevant. For more information on The Answer, go to See Red! Café Lafitte s in Exile presents its 21 st Annual Red Party on Saturday, Nov. 23rd. And if you have not been before you are in for a treat. Red is the color of the night with the theme Kickin In Red. The staff of the bar does a turnabout, which is basically when people who normally do not do drag don their gay apparel wigs, heels, etc., and take to the stage with some hilarious results. All the proceeds from the funds raised go to Belle Reve. Each bartender will auction off their own red shoe creation. There will be great prizes and you can get raffle tickets from your favorite bartender. The festivities kick off at 9:30pm. Lafitte s in Exile is located at 901 Bourbon Street. I hope to see everyone there to support this great cause and make sure to wear red! business focus, all the principles and ideals apply to peoples personal lives. Written by John Assaraf and Murray Smith, both of whom came from substandard backgrounds to achieve greatness, bring a sense of realism to the teachings inside. Asaraf was also prominently featured on the DVD and the book The Secret. I will just give you a tidbit of some of its understandings and one of my favorite chapters in the book, The Law of Attraction. It goes way beyond the birds of a feather saying. If you want something bad enough then you have to believe you will get it and repeat that to yourself every day. Exude the confidence that you will get what you want and go after, just do not harm others (that is an entirely other book on karma). This newfound confidence will give you the strength to go after your goals and achieve them, no matter what the obstacles; nothing is too great for you to Why Walk? overcome. The National Kidney Foundation is After you read this book, lend it to holding their annual Kidney Walk on others, or give it as a gift. Anyone who Sunday, Nov. 24th. Registration be- [continued on 37] gins at 8am at Audubon Park, Shelter #10 with the walk starting at 9:30am. This is such a deserving charity and with the gorgeous weather, a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. Kidney Walk is the nation s largest walk to fight kidney disease. Held in nearly 100 communities, the event raises awareness and funds lifesaving programs that educate and support patients, their families and those at risk. With the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure two major kidney disease risk factors kidney disease is on the rise. They are working to reach the 1 in 3 American adults at risk with important prevention messages before it s too late. Each year, more than 75,000 walkers join the NKF to raise over $8 million to help kidney patients and their families. Your participation in the events has never been more critical. More than 80 cents of every dollar donated directly supports programs and services, including: Educating Americans through multimedia public awareness initiatives about kidney disease and ways to reduce their risk. Empowering those at risk to take action at free, local kidney health screenings. Supporting kidney patients, organ donors, and their families - online 36 The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM November 19-December 3, 2013 Official ficial Gay Mardi di Gras Guide GayMardiGras.COM

2 under the gaydar...from 36 at on the phone tollfree at NKF Cares ( ), and through personal peer-mentoring. Advocating as the voice of the kidney patient in Washington DC to address the organ donor shortage, fund more kidney research, and defend Medicare coverage for kidney disease. Sharing the latest treatment information and practices with healthcare providers so patients get the best possible care. The National Kidney Foundation is an accredited 501(c)(3) charity. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more infor- mation, go to or call Be A VIP One of the hottest clubs it he city is giving you the chance to never wait in a line again. Oz is holding their Annual VIP Card Social on Saturday, Nov. 23rd from 8-10pm. There will be a special one night only sale for locals for $150 which is a $50 savings. Ladies and gentlemen, the holidays are upon us and what better gift to give somebody then the gift of Oz. Seriously, this is the perfect present to give your partying friends and you save money. The Oz New Orleans [continued on 38] SouthernDecadence.COM November 19-December 3, 2013 Facebook.COM/AmbushMag The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM 37

3 under the gaydar...from VIP Card gets you: priority entrance and no cover (worth its weight in gold 24/7 365 days a year including major holidays). This means no waiting in line ever again during Mardi Gras, New Year s Eve, Southern Decadence and Halloween. Make it a point to get yours today. Bark! The Holidays Are Here Be a part of the first annual holiday dog walk with Santa Paws NOLA. Join LA-SPCA, ACCENT on Arrangements, and Christmas in the District for their first annual holiday-themed pet costume contest and parade on December 1st in New Orleans Historic Warehouse District. The party will start at Heritage Park at 2pm where people will be able to register, enjoy drinks, and participate in pet friendly activities. The parade will line up in front of Heritage Park at 3pm at which time the costumed pets and owners will second line down Convention Center Blvd to Convention Center Plaza where the festivities will continue until 5pm. Santa Paws himself will be waiting to take pictures, and where you and your pet can enjoy this new holiday tradition. And even if you don t have a furry friend to keep you warm this holiday season, there is no need to worry. The LA-SPCA will be on hand to help you find out what you need to do to adopt one of their cute pets today. What a great Christmas gift to give someone. Additionally, Santa Paws NOLA will take place within the setting of Christmas in the District, a brand new holiday-themed large-scale lights display celebrating the culture and history of New Orleans. This one-of-a-kind holiday environment will display over 70 trees and almost a mile of animated lighting effects synchronized to music. The cost is $15. For more information, go to Santa Paws NOLA on Facebook. Young At Art I am so excited, because one of the hottest events in town is coming up and it always heralds in the start of the official holiday party season. Art Against AIDS is an exquisite gala event and art auction that will be held at the New Orleans Museum of Art on Saturday, Dec. 7th. This year s theme, Young at Art is a highlight of a year-long celebration of art programs for our clients generously sponsored by Chevron. For more than a quarter century, Art Against AIDS, started by Arthur Roger as a sale of ornaments displayed in his gallery, has been a kickoff to the holiday season, raising more than $2 million for AIDS awareness and services for people affected by HIV and AIDS. The Honorary Co-Chairs, artists Sarah Ashley Longshore, and David Harouni, invite guests to an evening of great entertainment with headliner band The Honorable South, burlesque performances including cast members of Broadway Bares, dance routines by The Sirens of New Orleans, food donated by local restaurants and caterers, a stellar silent auction of art, a Holiday Boutique and dancing under the stars to the music of DJ Robbie Martin! Tickets for this event are on sale now and are expected to sell out quickly. Become a Patron and enjoy an evening of food, libations, and music provided by the St. Michael s Special School Bell Choir. The Patron party will be held, Wednesday, Nov. 21st from 6-9pm at the Louisiana Children s Museum. Art Against AIDS gala tickets start at $85; Patron ticket levels ranging from $200 to $1,000. Tickets can be purchased by calling ext. 216, online, or in person at the Task Force s main offices at 2601 Tulane Avenue, 5th floor. Purchase your tickets today! Party Down Even though the big Halloween weekend was over, my two weeks ramped up with lots of events and fun times before and after Halloween. On Tuesday, the Mystic Krewe of Satyricon hosted the Well Strung Concert at Café Istanbul. These hot men performed at one of the Halloween XXX events and continued their entrancement of New Orleanians with a follow up performance. The following day, I had an enjoyable evening with friends at a dinner party at Frank Pizzolato s home. There is always something extra special about intimate dinner gatherings, when you can actually talk and get to know others in a more relaxed setting. Frank even brought out the good china for us, talk about making the night special. Thursday, I returned to the chaos of the holiday and went out in full costume for Halloween night. Reprising my character of Madame LaLaurie, Chris, Barrett, Laura, Beaux and I went to the Petronius costume contest and show at Mag's 940. Dressed as Madame LaLaurie, Marie Laveau and the Supreme, Laura, Chris and I took to the stage doing Girls Just Want To Have Fun backed up by a horde of male zombie dancers. Talk about a festive night with the krewe, congrats on a great event. Then we went to Oz for the costume contest at midnight hosted by the vivacious Blanche Debris and Persana Shoulders. Chris and I came in second scoring $100 and some lube. [continued on 39] 38 The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM November 19-December 3, 2013 Official ficial Gay Mardi di Gras Guide GayMardiGras.COM

4 under the gaydar...from 38 Just what I needed. We danced the night away and partied at all the bars in the Quarter, Marigny and Frenchman Street til the wee hours in the morning before calling it a night. You need stamina to survive a holiday in the Crescent City. Halloween wiped me out, so I did not come out of my man cave until Saturday, when I went to the Gallery Walk on Julia Street, then the LaFete Louisiane Cultural Benefit at this very cool space on Magazine Street. The location was actually a parking garage that had been transformed into this unique party place. They had a great auction, some awesome talent and something I had never seen before at an event. There was a silent disco, which was so memorable. The DJ spun for about thirty minutes for the crowd; then those who wanted to dance and listen to him was given headphones that they wore so only those wearing them could hear his music. People danced to the beats and for those watching, their moves became like performance art, because only they could hear the music. It was fun trying to guess what song they were dancing to, some were easy like Thriller, but the best was watching people move to I Will Survive. It is a testament to a great event when you have people talking about it weeks afterwards. The following week, was one of plays, I went to the press screening of Hair at Le Petit on Wednesday. This is such an entertaining musical and the cast were very interactive with the audience. I felt the love from the stage all the way in my seat. Then on Thursday, I went to this experimental theatre piece called Nocturnes I III at a renovated spot on St. Claude. I am fascinated by space travel and what lies beyond the stars so I enjoyed the show tremendously. On Friday, I was honored to emcee the Firemen Calendar release party held at their New Orleans headquarters on Decatur Street in the Quarter. There were some scorching men on stage this night as sixteen men showed off their attributes that helped them get to be a man in the calendar. Emcee a Fireman Calendar release party; check that off my bucket list. After Beaux and I met up, we went to a good friend, Jerry McGovern s birthday party at his very gay house Uptown. It is a gorgeous inviting home, but there is definitely no mistaking it is owned by a homosexual. Anytime a man has two or more pieces of art with Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe, it is safe to assume he is gay. Drinks flowed as we celebrated another year of his fabulosity. Saturday I went to Carlos Lopez s art opening at Gallery Orange on Royal Street. Carlos does some incredible still life paintings and this show featured one of Louisiana s bounties, oysters. He even designed some gorgeous jewelry that incorporated the theme that any local or visitor alike would be proud to wear. If you have an opportunity to check out his show, please do. Carlos and his partner Greg Vogel are huge supporters of the gay community. Sunday was a day of thanks and football. Beaux, Barrett and I went to the Halloween XXX thank you reception at the Marigny Opera House. This nice afternoon soiree was thrown for hosts, benefactors and sponsors of this year s successful event. There were people from Lazarus House on hand to give tours of the facility. It was great to see the actual people and place that your monies go in support of. We got to meet some of the residents and hear their heartbreaking stories. Lazarus House is truly a sanctuary for people. I cannot urge people enough to become a supporter of Halloween New Orleans and this needed place. Afterwards, we sped down to the Superdome for some intense tailgating party. That is what I love about New Orleans; the Saints game is really just secondary and everyone comes out for the party. Honestly, we did not even have tickets; we were just there for the party which was sponsored by Glazer s. In fact most of the people at the party were not planning to go to the actual game, but everyone wanted to be in the midst of the action, which was wild. There were full bars, food, music, double decker RV s and Hooter Girls. Got to love the straight people; nothing says football like wings and breasts. We played there until just before game time, then headed into the Quarter where we caught the tail end of bingo at Oz. Stopping a few places along the way, Lafitte s, Good Friends and 700 Club, I took myself home and rested after a tiring weekend. Tony s Tidbits of Wisdom The holidays can be a stressful time of the year so I believe in doing everything possible to make your life easier during the hustle and bustle of the season. Well, there is one way to trodding the boards by Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com do this and help support a great cause at the same time. The NO/AIDS Task Force is once again doing their pie sale right before Turkey Day. Food For Friends will be selling pies for the Thanksgiving Holiday to help raise much needed funds for their home delivered meals and food pantry programs. They delivered over 39,000 meals in 2012 to homebound clients and distributed 125,000 pounds of groceries through the pantry. Unfortunately due to cuts in federal funding, only 20% of the cost of the home delivered meals program is covered. By purchasing pies from Food For Friend this holiday season, you will ensure that others do not sit down to an empty table on Thanksgiving. The money raised from the sale of just one pie can ensure that three people will not go hungry on this very important family centered holiday. Their clients are family. Each pie purchased means you are giving Food For Friends clients a meal to give thanks for. New in New York If you should find yourself heading up to New York for the holidays and have had your fill of the Rockettes and Christmas tree lightings, never fear, as always, there are many new opportunities for entertainment and culture in the Big Apple. Having been extended until December 1, do try to see Fun Home at The Public Theater. This wondrous new musical is based on Alison Bechdel s graphic memoir. It s not giving anything away to say the gist of it is captured in her statement Dad and I both grew up in the same small Penn- [continued on 42] Food For Friends new kitchen is now open at 2903 Jefferson Avenue and will be baking pies in their own kitchen for the first time for the 6th Annual Food For Friends Holiday Pie Sale. They have an array to choose from - apple, pecan and pumpkin pies for your Thanksgiving feast. Each pie is only $15. The pie pick up dates are from 10am to 6pm on Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27. If you purchase five pies or more, they will deliver to you if you are located in Jefferson or Orleans Parishes. To get your order form either glen@noaidstaskforce.org, go online to or call ext Nothing could be sweeter for the holidays then buying these scrumptious pies for your holiday dinner and helping the NO/AIDS Task Force at the same time. If you have an event, story or idea, you want covered, contact me at ledgemgp@gmail.com. SouthernDecadence.COM November 19-December 3, 2013 Facebook.COM/AmbushMag The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM 39

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[0813] Chateau LeMoyne French Quarter 301 Dauphine St., New Orleans, LA 70112, Phone: , Enjoy a stay enriched with the culture and history of New Orleans at Chateau LeMoyne. Our historic building features all the best of old-time architecture and our prime location allows guests to stay just steps from the French Quarter, while still at enough distance to enjoy a peaceful night s rest. Versatile guest accommodations include charmingly appointed suites and cottages, while on-site amenities include drinks and dining, a scenic courtyard area and pool, and meeting and event space. When you re ready to explore, top New Orleans attractions are only moments away. We look forward to