HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE | A cobblestone street in Antigua recalls the city’s storied past, which welcomes gay travelers.

RICK VANDERSLICE  | Contributing Writer
rickvanderslice@gmail.com

In a world economy, one of the biggest considerations in international travel is how strong your buying power is overseas. While Europe can be pricey, the world in the other Americas add great value to their long list of treasures. And perhaps none is a better bargain that Guatemala (where one dollar buys you seven quetzals) … and no place in the Central American nation is more charming that Antigua. This small town some 70 miles from the capital of Guatemala City sits a mile up a mountain and is as breathtaking as that sounds. This ancient town of 40,000 boasts cool year-round temperatures between 60 and 80; in fact, the hottest thing going here are the men.

Although there is no active gay scene here, Antigua’s hotels, markets, restaurants and other public venues are very gay-friendly — several even gay-owned. The local gay populace call it “Gay Light” and they love sharing their beautiful oasis with visitors. (One curious bit of gay history was made in Antigua in the 1940s, when gay author Gore Vidal lived here in a house that was once a convent next to the ruins of the Church of El Carmen. There he wrote one of the first popular novels with a gay theme, The City and the Pillar.)

 Though you can rent scooters or cars for your stay, better to explore on foot. Just walking around the cobblestone streets (a mere 15 blocks square!) ensures you won’t miss any part of this charming village.

 The center of town, and of activity, is Central Park, founded in 1595 and surrounded by the glorious Cathedral of San Jose, and many cafés and shops. (Don’t let its age fool you — it’s also a wifi hot-spot.) You can rent a horse-drawn carriage here for sightseeing or enjoy exquisite hot chocolate drinks at the gay-owned Café El Gringo-Chapin nearby.

 Just beyond the southeast corner of Central Park is Ricky’s Bar, which attracts cute men of all ages. Two-and-a-half blocks west is the lesbian-owned Frida’s Mexican Bar & Restaurant, claiming the best nachos and margaritas in town. A popular gathering place for women, guys are welcomed here, too.

Though Antigua is a tourist mecca, unrelated businesses also provide a draw. We ventured to one of the local coffee plantations, the famous Filadelfia Coffee Resort & Plantation located in the hills overlooking the city. On a wonderful three-hour guided tour, we received an education on how differences in the size and color of a coffee bean can make all the difference in its taste and aroma. For caffeine addicts, it’s a not-to-be-missed experience.

Lodging options run from five-star hotels and other luxury accommodations (including the wonderful Hotel Soleil La Antigua on the southwest edge of town), as well as more affordable chains, B&Bs and even youth hostels.

Antigua is easy to get to as well. American Airlines has daily flights from DFW to Guatemala City, landing at the modern La Aurora Airport inside this capital of 3 million. But why linger in the hubbub of activity when an hour away is a laid-back gay oasis?

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 14, 2013.

SAVANNAH SCANDAL | The Mercer-Williams House, top, is the site of an infamous gay murder in which legendary drag diva The Lady Chablis, right, became a central figure — scandalous events of which this Southern town is perversely proud. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES  | Life+Style Editor

We saved you a seat right next to the chicken,” Marcia Thompson says to me. When the granddaughter of Mrs. Wilkes — the boardinghouse owner whose home-cooking restaurant has customers lined up like flappers outside a speakeasy — invites you to enjoy her chicken, you’re in high cotton.

You’re also in Savannah, Ga., a gem of southern gentility that is also surprisingly (perversely?) proud of its gay appeal. Maybe it’s that Southern Gothic breeding that always makes butter out of cream, no matter how rancid. Consider: in the late 20th century, Savannah became famous as the site of a murder mystery when gentrified gay socialite Jim Williams killed his rent-boy lover inside his house, a palace once owned by the family of Johnny Mercer. Murder, intrigue, scandal, society, gay sex, and a drag queen named The Lady Chablis put the sleepy town on the map in a way it hasn’t been since the age of King Cotton. (Even today, every museum shop and bookstore in town sells hardback editions of the best seller about the crime, John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, in which the most vivid character is surely Savannah itself.)

“Child, it’s been 20 years since that [book], but I’m still making money off it,” The Lady Chablis tells me over a cocktail. “I say, keep it coming.”

Chablis (who played herself in the film version) is probably one of the city’s four or five most celebrated residents (even though she actually lives in neighboring South Carolina, where she’s better able to maintain some anonymity): Mercer (songwriter of “Days of Wine and Roses” and “Moon River”), Williams, Chablis, Paula Deen and Juliette Gordon Low (who in 1912 founded the Girl Scouts) are just some of the recurrent names that live there alongside you … even the dead ones. Chablis shares the mantle of Grande Dame with another “Lady,” tele-chef Deen, whose Lady and Sons restaurant is a popular tourist attraction.

That brings us back to Mrs. Wilkes. Paula has the TV presence and the marketing, but there’s hardly a local who won’t tell you Mrs. Wilkes serves better food. It’s pointless to argue: The spread I sat down to, strategically next to a plate of still-steaming fried chicken, is like Thanksgiving in springtime, or any time of the year … as long as you’re there for lunch Monday through Friday — it’s not open for dinner or on weekends.

Don’t count calories here; “Our mac and cheese is gluten-free, our chicken skinless and all the dishes are low fat” is something you will never hear anyone say at Mrs. Wilkes. Instead, feast in the food orgy before you, reveling in the genius of the elasticized waistband.

You’ll need to do that the length of your trip. Savannah is a foodie city by any standard, and for its size, a veritable cornucopia of inviting aromas and flavors: Pralines, barbecue, ice cream and most of all, Low Country cuisine, named for the area of Carolina and stretching down the Georgia coast where the essentials of soul food — blackeyed peas, shrimp and grits, pork and okra — got their earliest expression in the New World when imported from West Africa during the slave trade. If you’re a fan, Savannah’s the place to be.

The Olde Pink House is a staple of Low Country cuisine, excelling particularly with a delicious she-crab soup, delectable fried chicken (too much for an honest man to eat) and gourmet shrimp and grits (the grits prepared as a fluffy cake with perfectly cooked shrimp atop), all served in a cozy manse on one of the city’s two dozen quaint squares.

Alligator Soul, grotto-like with its below-street-level entrance, specializes in inventive wild game, but also Southern favorites like fried green tomatoes. The  soda fountain Leopold’s (founded in 1919) serves homemade ice cream including their original — an unusual fruitti-tutti blend, though the rum bisque can’t be beat.

LOW COUNTRY, HAUTE CUISINE | Elegant shrimp and grits at the Olde Pink House mark the culinary scene. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)

Even with historic eateries everywhere, new ones pop up constantly. Over at City Market, a buzzy social center for many restaurants and clubs that’s active well into the late night, A.Lure has thrived since opening last year, extending the food-lovers’ reach with crazed Savannahesque dishes like foie gras on a fried Krispy Kreme glazed donut. Another newcomer, The Public Kitchen on Bull and Liberty, opened just in September and is already popular with the funkier set. A casual, no-reservations bistro, it’s a nice place for brunch, cooking up fluffy frittatas and adding chorizo to breakfast hash and even shrimp and grits. (Co-owner Jamie Durrence’s partner, a grad of the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design, designed the welcoming look.)

If you wanna bring back more than just memories of the food, though, an unmissable excursion is to enroll in the 700 Kitchen Cooking School inside the Mansion on Forsyth Park, the city’s first Five Diamond accommodation. Taught by puckish gay chef Darin Sehnert, you learn not only how to prepare Low Country specialties like a native, but techniques that flower over into everyday kitchen adventures. It’s insanely fun and educational, and a perfect bonding experience for couples or groups (up to 12 can take a class).

Afterward, stick around The Mansion to listen to live jazz, or head to one of the gay bars or gay-friendly pubs.

The Spare Time is a hipster hang with mixed gay-straight crowd, serving nifty cocktails while the retro-loving DJ spins everything from Xanadu to Grandmaster Flash. Chuck’s on River Street by the water is a neighborhoody gay bar, while Club One at Bay and Jefferson is where you go for drag shows … including, once a month, The Lady Chablis herself, who can throw more shade than the noonday sun. “I don’t eat pussy — I don’t even know how to cook that shit,” she drawls from the stage.

Like her accent? You’ll notice a lilting patois from many of the locals, an infectious charm that almost insists you slow down and mind your manners. While it’s a tourism-rich city, hospitality is almost a religion here.

Savannah exudes gentility like oxygen; one local compared it to nearby Charleston, S.C., noting that

Charleston “has a shorter skirt than us.” To me, it resonates more as a clean version of New Orleans.

Like NOLA, this is a city of history. Founded in 1733, it’s resplendent with anecdotal beauty. To visit Savannah is to commit yourself to going on an historical tour, whether by motor coach (Oglethorpe Tours does especially good ones), pedicab, horse-drawn carriage, Segway or just walking, and whether you concentrate on architecture, celebrities or ghosts. (The fact you can take some haunted tours in converted hearses bespeaks to Savannah’s self-aware vibe. As with the Williams murder, Savannah revels in its reputation as one of the most haunted cities in the U.S.)

On of the best escapades (and a bargain at just $20) is a walking architectural tour conducted by Jonathan Stalcup, a gay graduate of SCAD who shares terrific information about cornices and stucco, but also social histories about the city, such as how The First Baptist Church on Chippewa Square, founded in the 1830s, has been accepting of all sexual orientations since its charter.

The city may be a textbook of architectural history (it’s the kind of town where the provenance of your brick speaks a lot to your history and why not when every stone has a story), but it is not stuck in time; it continues to grow and develop, with Art Moderne and Art Deco buildings alongside colonial and Georgian. The SCAD Museum, opened in 2011, reflects the more modern side, with many rotating art exhibitions, including a current one called Queen: Portraits of Madonna featuring 30 televised heads singing Madge tunes a capella.

For more classical art, many historic homes are museums themselves, including the Mercer-Williams House, scene of that famous crime, only two blocks from Mrs. Wilkes’.

Getting out of the city can be fun, too. Nearby Tybee Island is the oceanfront resort for locals and tourists, though not as crowded as, say, Myrtle Beach to the north or Fort Lauderdale to the south. The popular pier is a great meeting point, but to eat beachcomb over to Marlin Monroe’s, a lesbian-owned eatery featuring reasonably priced and tasty coastal dishes, like pecan-crusted flounder and, conch fritters. Earlier this month, it hosted the island’s first Gay Days celebration with Village People cowboy Randy Jones. (Delicious irony?

Rain forced the party to move … into the YMCA.) Down the causeway a bit is Coco’s, which hosts occasional gay nights.

For accommodations, the pet-friendly Bohemian Riverfront Hotel lives up to its name with quirky artwork in each room, a happening rooftop resto-bar (weekends, the entrance line can stretch like Mrs. Wilkes’) and comfy rooms, all with a crackerjack staff. It’s conveniently the midpoint of Club One and Chuck’s, making no more convenient way to get your gay on in Savannah, my huckleberry friend.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 31, 2013.

You know the old joke: “I just flew in from Miami; boy, are my arms tired.”

Well, that’s sort of Bryan Kosarek’s actual life now.

The transplanted Texan (a Chicago native) has been winging it for more than two months, and still has nearly four more to go as the GayTravel.com “guru,” a position that sends him from spots like Southern California all the way over to Thailand and back to the U.S. … especially his home base in Austin.

Kosarek is no stranger to the Lone Star State, having attended college in San Antonio; for the past five years, the 31-year-old has lived in Austin, where he works in real estate by day and writes the blog GayInAustinTexas.com — a social/relocation guide about the queerpeal of the state’s capital — by night.

Last fall, just as a relationship was ending, Kosarek decided to enter a contest held by GayTravel.com to find their new travel guru — a paid position where one lucky journalist criss-crosses the world, blogging and vlogging about the gay scene from Sonoma to the Caribbean. And he won. (Best news of all for Texas: The runner-up was also from Austin.) Since then, he’s been traveling a lot, with occasional breaks back home to recuperate and recharge.

Even though he’s been an enthusiastic cheerleader for gay Austin, Kosarek admits Dallas has its own draws, which he experienced late last month. Kosarek landed in Dallas (a city he already knew somewhat) but got to explore it with new eyes.

And what an adventure. He stayed in the gayborhood at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, and got to hang out (alongside me) with the gay filmmakers and celebs at the USA Film Festival; was able to meet restaurateurs like Abraham Salum and dine at Dish and Nick & Sam’s Grill (and partake in one of mixologist Leann Berry’s signature cocktails at Komali, pictured above); walked through the Dallas Museum of Art (seeing the Coco Chanel exhibit was the highlight, he says); and got to see for the first time Lisa Lampanelli (he was suitable offended and delighted). And he got to whoop it up at the Purple Party, from seeing the Rose Room girls perform alongside Drag Racer Chad Michaels to sunworshipping at Sisu (pictured below).

If lounging by a pool sipping cocktails surrounded by hunky men sounds like your idea of a dream job, keep in mind: Kosarek spends about half of his time in locations writing and editing, and jet-lag has become a way of life. It’s not all roses.

Then again, Kosarek isn’t complaining — at least not yet. Over a beer at the Katy Trail Ice House, Kosarek ogles the crowd, taking in the stylish variety the city has to offer. After visiting the men’s room, Kosarek even tweets this little missive: “Everything isn’t bigger in Texas. Everything’s just bigger in Dallas.”

We try, Bryan; we try.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

You can follow GayTravel Guru Bryan Kosarek’s adventures until August by signing up for his blog at GayTravel.com.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 10, 2013.

THE WRIGHT STUFF | The still-magnificent appointments of the 1929 Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Arizona Biltmore lend an air of old Hollywood glamour to the Sonoran desert.

RICH LOPEZ  | Contributing Writer
getrichindallas@gmail.com

The old and the new are at peace together in Phoenix, which embraces its burgeoning modernity with new developments but never loses its identity of heritage.

WALL OF SOUND | The hip Windsor boasts a wall bedecked with old-school audio cassettes — and a great pork sandwich.

Gay travelers are not at a loss here — in fact, last week the city celebrated Gay Pride with its annual festival. Already steeped in cultural diversity and artistic diversity, Phoenix’s LGBT community enjoys clubs, restaurants and shops speckled throughout the city that are either gay-owned or gay-friendly. But beyond that, Phoenix is breathtaking in its fantastic convergence of modern luxury and gritty outdoors. For city boys and nature girls — and vice versa — there is much to behold.

When fall hits, the weather settles into perfection. Street fairs appear and patio eating dominates many of the city’s hip eateries.

In North Central Phoenix, The Windsor oozes hipness whether inside its small walls or on its huge patio. The food is upgraded pub fare but its vibe rings loudest with mustachioed waiters and a wall plastered with audiocassettes. After the two-hander pulled pork sandwich with housemade chips, step next door for dessert at Churn with its homemade ice creams.

Angels Trumpet in the artsy Roosevelt District serves up a fresh and eclectic menu thanks to local purveyors (as most restaurants tout), but their attention to beer is their pride. With a rotating list of 31 taps, the best bet is their $9 flight of six beers, the prime way to taste seasonal flavors like their standout pumpkin ale and the marionberry hibiscus.

For a simpler beer experience, hit up the 41-year-old gay bar the Nu Towne Saloon for its crowded Sunday afternoon dollar beer bust. Without much fanfare, the patio packs up the cruisy spot with bears and the men who love them. The kitschy inside offers zero pretension and the image of a huge cock is a photographic must.

Without a centralized gayborhood, Phoenix counts an astounding number of queer nightspots. More than 20 dot the landscape, catering to all demos, but Charlie’s is a priority visit.

The club combines country and western music with drag queens on the patio, an on-site taqueria and the best-lit bathroom ever. They line dance the hell out of the floor from country hits to dance mixes and vintage Ricky Martin. Leathered muscleguys, twinky preps and fruit flies all mix among the friendly, high-energy crowd.

UP UP AND AWAY | Hot-air ballooning is a popular activity for locals and tourists; closer to the ground, culinary offerings (including a yummy butterscotch pudding, below left,) make Phoenix a foodie heaven as well.

The bears head to Pat O’s Bunkhouse Saloon in the Melrose District while the dance crowd hits up Amsterdam downtown, the leather peeps hit up Anvil, lesbians go to Cash Inn Country, and celebrity drag queens like Raja and Delta Work from Drag Race headline The Rock.

For the adventurous, head to the sky with Hot Air Expeditions and studly head pilot Patrick Stevens. You unofficially join the mile high club and see Phoenix and beyond in its postcard-like glory — and discover mesas really are that flat. And when the balloon swoops in to land, the natural denizens scamper through low-lying hills and cacti.

For a direct approach to the scenery, head north to Scottsdale for Green Zebra Adventures’ Tomcar tour of the Sonora Desert on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Reservation. A guide leads an ATV caravan giving a stunningly up close and beautiful view of the landscape including the only home to the saguaro cactus. Wild steer and horses can be seen drinking along the Salt River washout and mesquite trees provide a distinct aroma in the more flowered parts of the desert.

Phoenix isn’t short on cultural offerings but the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art highlights Native American culture as a living museum of both historic and contemporary work. Its kachina doll collection is astounding. (Tip: plan on lunch at the Heard’s café for the tepary bean hummus and frybread.)

The handsome Musical Instrument Museum, which opened in 2010, houses more than 15,000 instruments from around the world. The hands-on room is a must because it may be the one time to hit an actual gong or play some kind of music on the trippy Theremin. Next year, the museum will feature Lady Gaga’s meat dress as part of a “women in music” exhibition.

Ultra-cool accommodations can be found at the high-rise Westin Downtown with spacious rooms in warm colors and floor-to-ceiling windows. The view of downtown with mountains in the distance impresses. Province, the resto in the Westin, is big for drinks on the patio. Its sister hotel, the Sheraton Phoenix, is a massive complex blocks away geared toward convention goers with 1,000 rooms. But the restaurant that stands out as a major treasure is District American Kitchen and Wine Bar, which features a rich menu of comfort food elevated to five-star levels.

The new Palomar pulsates with modern vibe in the heart of the new CityScape development of restaurants, shops and nightlife. It is walking distance from USAirways Arena for major sports games and concerts, but its snazzy insides make it fulfilling to stay in.

The poolside bar Lustre looks on downtown from its open third floor and below is the stellar gastro-lounge Blue Hound Kitchen. Executive chef Stephen Jones has created a simple menu that is hardly short on complexity.  The cheddar-scallion biscuits with quail eggs are hefty starters but worth a taste. He bombards both the eye and the taste buds with his gigantic BBQ’D Kobe beef short ribs that look like they came from the opening credits of The Flintstones. But the meat comes off easily with a fork before  passing to your dining neighbor.

Hit the trendy Breadfruit Rum Bar for dinner. The tiny resto is cool on all the right notes with dark décor, cozy seating and a lively vibe in both the bar and dining room. The Jamaican-inspired menu knocks out the palate but the stealthy weapons here are the drinks. Rum punch flavors like the strawberry passion fruit are refreshing while their pina colada redux turns up the volume leaving behind any trace of 1980.

If there were a stunning gem of Phoenix it would have to be the legendary Arizona Biltmore. The 1929 Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired resort defines luxury and sprawl with heavenly gardens and gorgeous lawns and eight pools including the Catalina, which Marilyn Monroe deemed her favorite. The architecture invites guests to remain in awe at the grand hallways leading from the lobby to Wright’s, the dining room, which serves a rich Sunday brunch buffet. Paradise Pool is spectacular with three pools combined including a bar, cabanas, a 90-foot water slide and palm trees overlooking the water under the Arizona sun. It’s hard not to feel like a Hollywood star yourself.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition April 12, 2013.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT | Inside Denali National Park, Mount McKinley —the tallest point in North America — is an unmissable attraction.

I spent 15 days touring Alaska with a friend last summer — my second extended trip in the past three years to our nation’s largest state. My previous trip included a cruise through the Inside Passage, followed by a four-day land trip north through Anchorage and Talkeetna. On my latest trip, I overnighted in eight different towns, from Juneau and Skagway in the southeast to Fairbanks in the east-central section of the state.

Even still, I’ve but scratched the surface of this state more than twice the size of Texas. But I have come up with a list of must-see activities or places I strongly recommend. Here, in no particular order, are the essential Alaska highlights.

Drink your share of local craft beer. What Alaska lacks in gay nightlife, it more than makes up for in quirky, offbeat bars with diverse, generally gay-friendly followings. Some of the best of these hangouts are craft-beer pubs, of which Anchorage has the greatest number. A few blocks apart in the city’s downtown, Glacier Brew House and Humpy’s both serve first-rate beer and great food, and in Midtown, the Bear Tooth Theatrepub and Grill, and nearby Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria are popular with the gay community and serve great food and distinctive beers.

In Juneau, the venerable Alaska Brewing Co. is one of the foremost craft-beer makers in the country; although there’s no brewpub on site, you can stop by for a tour and tastings, and the company’s beer is widely available at bars all over Alaska. Also in southeast Alaska, the funky and friendly Skagway Brewing Co. is a great place to sip Spruce Tip Blonde (a locally distinctive beer flavored with hand-picked Sitka spruce tips). Fairbanks is home to the terrific Silver Gulch brewpub, which is as well-regarded for its malty Pick Axe Porter as for such delicious fare as beer-braised pork ribs and IPA fish-and-chips.

Take the bus into Denali. Visitors to Alaska’s iconic national park, Denali, can be overwhelmed by the immensity of this 6-million-acre wilderness crowned by North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley (20,320 feet). The park is ideally explored over the course of a few days, but even with one full day, it’s possible to cover a remarkable amount of ground. There’s one road into the park, and beyond the first 15 miles, only official park school buses are permitted.

Options for touring the park by bus include guided tours and more flexible and less expensive “hop-on/hop-off” shuttles. A practical one-day strategy is taking a shuttle bus to the stunning and relatively new Eielson Visitor Center, which is 66 miles into the park and access two short but very scenic hikes with Denali peak views. The trip takes a minimum of eight hours round-trip, but the ride itself is part of the fun — guides comment on the scenery and stop to allow passengers to snap photos of wildlife, which can include caribou, Dall sheep, golden eagles, moose, wolves and grizzly bears.

Explore the Kenai Peninsula. With relatively easy access to Anchorage, a slew of engaging towns and attractions, and rugged, spectacular scenery that takes in everything from massive glaciers to icy fjords to dense forests, this peninsula about half the size of South Carolina is ideal for road-tripping. The top towns for visitors are the artsy and progressive fishing town of Homer (the farthest from Anchorage, at 220 miles); scenic Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park; and secluded Whittier, situated at the end of Passage Canal, which links to Prince William Sound.

On your way to the peninsula, consider tacking on a night or two in tiny Girdwood, just 40 miles from Anchorage, spending the night at the elegant Alyeska Resort. This upscale hotel and ski resort has beautiful rooms, a full spa and one of the top destination restaurants in the state, Seven Glaciers, which is reached via aerial tram.

If you’d prefer an all-inclusive approach to touring the Kenai Peninsula, book a trip with Alaska Wildland Adventures, which has three one-of-a-kind accommodations on the peninsula: the Kenai Riverside Lodge, Kenai Backcountry Lodge and Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge. AWA’s trips include everything from adrenaline-pumping white-water rafting and sea-kayaking to more easygoing hikes, float trips and fishing outings, ideal for families or friends.
Trek on a glacier. Opportunities to view these glaciers abound from Juneau north into Denali National Park. One of the most amazing ways to experience one of these hulking masses of slow-moving ice is to hike directly onto one. In the historic gold-rush town of Skagway, Packer Expeditions offers wilderness and snowshoe hikes onto Laughton Glacier. These full-day adventures involve riding the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway to a mountain trailhead, and then trekking about four miles through verdant woodland and then onto the glacier.

In Juneau, Above & Beyond Alaska has developed an amazing glacier trek on which you’ll hike three and a half miles through a rainforest then don crampons and ice axes and walk atop Mendenhall Glacier. If conditions permit, you may also hike inside one of the surreal, blue-walled ice caves that have formed beneath the glacier.

See Alaska from the air. Alaska is home to more licensed airline pilots per capita than any other state. A number of smaller airlines offer regular service through the Inside Passage, with the trips from Juneau up to Skagway or Haines, or to Ketchikan are especially magnificent. Flights are also a favorite for viewing Denali Park.

Stay at a small, atmospheric inn. Most of the state’s key communities have at least a few gay-friendly inns, which typically have distinctive settings and offer guests the chance to gain a better sense of what it’s actually like to live in Alaska. Anchorage has a number of terrific options, including the affordable Copper Whale Inn, which is within walking distance of downtown attractions. Also centrally located are such gay-owned options as the Wildflower Inn and the City Garden B&B.

Dale and Jo View Suites is a luxurious, cozy spot with wonderful views in Fairbanks, while Pearson’s Pond is one of the most sumptuous places to stay in Juneau. Funky Homer is home to such welcoming B&Bs as Brigitte’s Bavarian B&B, which is set on a birch-shaded hillside, and the sunny and contemporary Bay Avenue B&B, which overlooks rippling Kachemak Bay. In Skagway, well-priced, welcoming White House B&B is centrally located.

— Andrew Collins

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 15, 2013.

We all know the story. He was outnumbered: Two local boys in a bar with a pitcher of beer. One petite college student, sitting in the same bar, alone. But most of us have never thought of the last hours of Matthew Shepard the way author and poet Lesléa Newman imagines it in this book.

Through a series of freestyle verses, we experience many points of view from people and objects that witnessed Shepard’s last moments. The truck knew that the situation wouldn’t turn out well when the boys lured him into its cab. The road on the way out to the Wyoming vastness thought it had seen everything, but when it noticed Shepard trapped in the truck, it wanted to heave. The clothesline that was used to tie him felt itself tangled. The fence that held him up all night felt he was “heavy as a broken heart.” The fence held on, though, through wind. It cradled him, as his mother would.

Shepard spent 18 hours waiting to be discovered, tied to a fence, with just the wind and deer as companions. When he finally was found, dying, the patrolman thought he’d been crying; the doctor did cry when he saw what was left of the boy. The candle at Shepard’s vigil grieved and armbands stood as one. The fence that held him didn’t mind becoming a shrine.

In the days to follow, as news of Shepard’s death raced around the world, it changed lives: A drag queen went deeper into the closet. A police commander removed gay slurs from his vocabulary. The bartender who served the boys felt regret. Countless students wondered if Shepard’s story could have been their own.

Other drivers must’ve thought I was crazy. There I was, cruising down the highway with tears coating my cheeks, my hand to my mouth. That doesn’t happen often; in fact, few audiobooks have moved me as much as October Mourning. Newman’s sparse words, performed by several actors in varied voices and timbres, bring incredible emotion to her scenarios, offering a book with beauty on one side, horror on the other.

Though grown-ups can — and will — certainly enjoy this audiobook, I think its best audience is young adults who are too young to remember that one night and its aftermath. For them, October Mourning may wake them up.

— Terri Schlichenmeyer

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 15, 2013.

REFUEL | After biking the hills of Chile’s wine country in the San Antonio Valley, lunch at the Matetic Vineyards’ sunny gazebo restaurant La Casona will energize you for the ride home

Jacob stapp cigainero  | Contributing Writer
jacobstapp@gmail.com

Brazil may have the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, but the geographically svelte Chile — its slender profile snakes down most of the western coast of South America — easily takes the gold for outdoor adventure. Chile is both sporty by nature and stylish by design, where boutique hotels sit side-by-side an outdoor paradise, luring luxury seekers and active adventurers alike.

Chile packs almost every terrain imaginable into its trim borders, from valleys, mountains to volcanoes to desert, plus a top-to-bottom stretch of Pacific coast, rivers, lakes and untouched forests. Santiago, the nation’s capital and main international entry-point, welcomes travelers eager to experience Chile’s greatest asset: nature. But before going au naturel, the city itself is worth a day or two, especially to visit the regional vineyards. (Look for a profile of what to do in Chile’s countryside soon.)

Santiago’s Bellavista neighborhood is the city’s bohemian claim to hip and trendy. The lively barrio is packed with restaurants, bars and nightlife, and explodes with some of the city’s most colorful street art. The Aubrey, a 1920s Mission-style mansion recently turned 15-room boutique hotel, is a haven of art deco sophistication in the midst of high-energy revelry. Once the home of a Chilean railroad magnate and congressman who hosted infamous weekly lunches for Santiago’s political and social elite in the 1940s and ‘50s, The Aubrey opened its new life as a hotel in 2010 after a $3 million renovation.

THROUGH THE HAZE | Hike up to the top of Cerro San Chistobal (or take a funiculair) to get a view of Santiago’s metropolitan sprawl … and the Andes in the background. (Photos by Jacob Stapp Cigainero)

Upon arrival, guests are greeted with Chile’s national drink, the pisco sour (when lounging by the rooftop pool, go for the cucumber sour), in to Aubrey’s slick and nostalgic piano bar, where contemporary Chesterfield seating and tall suede wingback chairs lend an air of updated Gatsby charm. You might catch the laid back Aussie owner making the rounds in flip-flops and shorts.

The hotel features the recently opened indoor/outdoor restaurant forthrightly named The Dining Room, which hosts guests on a cobblestone terrace flanked by misty cascades. A word to the wise: the metropolis of 6.25 million shuts down on Sunday, but The Aubrey’s restaurant opens to serve the elusive brunch.

“Restobar” is the word around town, and Bellavista has the hungry and thirsty covered seemingly on every street. Vietnam Discovery is one of the latest restobars that Santiago’s well-heeled frequent for French-Vietnamese fusion and handcrafted cocktails. The bamboo-heavy terrace centered around a Buddha statue is anything but Zen with a live DJ spinning thumping house music. Locals looking for national beers head to low-key hotspot Galindo for hearty Chilean favorites, like a thick eel fillet battered and fried, or pastel de choclo, a savory corn pie filled with beef or chicken, olives, onions and hard boiled eggs.

Just around the corner from The Aubrey, literati pay homage to famed poet and politician Pablo Neruda at his quirky multi-part home, and Cerro San Cristoból in the Metropolitan Park offers panoramic views of the city against the backdrop of the Andes Mountains.

Widely known as a lesbian bar, divey and relaxed Punto G on Bombero Nuñez, owned by a local theater actress, welcomes all and could be host to chance run-ins with local TV stars. If you’re looking for a cave in the South American city, Cero is well-stocked with bears, and for your all-night dancing needs, Bunker keeps the lights low and the music up.

To catch a breath of fresh air outside of Santiago, head to the Central Valley’s local vineyards to sample regional wines. The fertile San Antonio Valley’s proximity to the Pacific coast gives it a cooler Mediterranean clime that produces some of South America’s best wine. The region’s rolling hills of farmland and sweeping vistas of wine-on-the-vine offer a scenic cycling route. Santiago Adventures offers bike-and-wine tours from the city to nearby vineyards like Matetic, where knowledgeable sommeliers give an informative bird’s-eye view of organic winemaking and the unique biodynamic philosophy.

After guided tastings of oaky Chardonnay and spicy Syrah (a relative newcomer to the region’s typical Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenére), a quick pedal over to Matetic’s restaurant La Casona is a much deserved refueling in an airy gazebo where the main event includes artful presentations of classics like reineta ceviche, and of course, more wine.

(Tip: you might be able to snag one of the winery’s out-of-commission $1,000 French oak wine barrels for about $10. Shipping, however, will cost you much more than that. The better investment would be shipping a case or three of your favorite bottle back home.)

Part 2 will run later this month in Dallas Voice.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 8, 2013.

What are the nation’s most gay-friendly cities? The Human Rights Campaign’s first Municipal Equality Index (MEI) rates the public policies and legal rights of LGBT citizens in 137 U.S. cities in 50 states on 47 criteria, and 11 cities scored a perfect 100. Some of them aren’t all that surprising — Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco — all in Cali; Seattle and progressive Portland, Ore. in the Pacific Northwest;  Boston/Cambridge, Philly and of course New York City in the East.

The outlier that pleased us, though? St. Louis, Mo. It was the lone city in the middle of the country so honored with 100 points. In terms of LGBT legislation, St. Louis is one of the most progressive cities in the country, with the study evaluating a city on nondiscrimination laws, relationship recognition, the municipality’s employment policies, municipal services and programs, how well the municipal law enforcement responds to LGBT issues and the municipality’s relationship with the LGBT community.

“We are proud to see the prominence of St. Louis,” says A.J. Bockelman, exec director of PROMO, Missouri’s LGBT advocacy organization. “It reflects the value the LGBT community provides to the health and prosperity of our city.”

A number of other cities scored 95 or above, including Berkeley, Palm Springs and West Hollywood, Calif.; Denver; Chicago; Hartford, Conn.; Albany, N.Y.; and Madison, Wisc.

Those in the single digits are Jackson, Miss. and Avondale Estates, Ga. (8), Pleasant Ridge, Mich. (3), and Baton Rouge, La. and Cheyenne, Wyo. (2). And at zero? Well, there are two: Montgomery, Ala. and Frankfort, Ky. There’s something sad about a state that’s abbreviated “KY” doing so poorly with gay rights.

You can view the full report at HRC.org/MEI.

If you want to start saving for your big trip in 2013, the best way to go about it might be with MyTab.co (note: Not .com, but just .co). This social gift exchange allows you to add dollars to your online travel card. Customers can set up an account on the website, as well as wish lists. Folks can contribute to it instead of buying you presents for birthdays, graduations or anniversaries, consolidating your gifts in one place. It’s like crowd-sourcing for air fare. And MyTab offers discounts via its Match MyCash service, which generates competitive bids from travel businesses competing for your bucks.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition January 11, 2013.

CHAMPLAIN TOAST | Sunset over Lake Champlain in Burlington is heavenly in the fall, while in January gay skiers will descend on Stowe for the annual Winter Rendezvous gay ski week.

In 2000, Vermont became the first state to legally sanction civil unions for same-sex couples, and in 2009, the state extended full marriage rights to gays and lesbians. Although neighboring states now also have same-sex marriage, and marriage equality is hitting a nationwide tipping point, Vermont has remained a favorite romance destination among LGBT travelers, some coming to exchange nuptials, others visiting simply to enjoy this stunningly scenic state’s relaxed pace, mild and wild recreational opportunities, charming inns and B&Bs.

From north to south, this narrow swath of forests, meadows and mountains has plenty to offer, with several key regions making excellent hubs for exploring. In southwestern Vermont, close to both the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Albany region of upstate New York, the town of Manchester is a favorite weekend getaway — it’s home to dozens of outlet shops, but beyond these mostly expected retail establishments you’ll find a charming downtown with some great restaurants, plus several historic attractions and well-known ski areas. Just a two- to three-hour drive from Boston, the Upper Connecticut River Valley is rich in culture and outdoor recreation. And along the shores of rippling Lake Champlain, you’ll find

Vermont’s largest community, Burlington, a lively and liberal college town that’s also an excellent base for great skiing at several resorts, including nearby Stowe.

Although Vermont has a high proportion of LGBT residents, it’s sparsely populated. Nightlife options are minimal, although Burlington has some fun bars on or near downtown’s Church Street pedestrian mall, all of which are ostensibly gay-friendly. Vermont is ideal for couples seeking romance or groups of friends looking for both summer- or wintertime outdoors adventures.

It’s very easy to find information on planning gay weddings and other trips to Vermont — sites including VermontGayTravel.com and VermontGayTourism.com provide excellent guidance and list welcoming businesses, and the official state tourism site, VermontVacation.com, is great for general trip-planning information.

Burlington and Stowe

The largest city in the state, Burlington is home to the University of Vermont and claims the state’s most visible gay community. It’s just 100 miles south of Montreal and enjoys a stunning setting, with Lake Champlain on one side and the rugged Green Mountains on the other. Visitors appreciate the vast opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, plus downtown’s network of redbrick sidewalks, cozy coffeehouses, great music and bookstores, and affordable eateries.

Just 35 miles away, Stowe ranks among the nation’s best ski getaways, but this charming, gay-friendly village offers a genuine balance of outdoor and indoor fun. An abundance of plush lodges and inns, sophisticated eateries, and first-rate spas contribute to the town’s ardent following. And shoppers appreciate Stowe’s many one-of-a-kind shops.

Stowe is popular all winter with gay visitors, especially in late January when the town is host to Winter Rendezvous (Jan. 23 to 27 in 2013), a five-day gay ski gathering that draws enthusiasts from throughout New England and includes not just skiing and snowboarding but also a wealth of other activities, as well as parties and entertainment.

In Burlington, the Courtyard by Marriott Burlington Harbor and Hilton Burlington are both great, gay-friendly chain properties with central locations, large rooms and friendly service.

Just six miles south on a secluded peninsula overlooking Lake Champlain, the elegant Inn at Shelburne Farms (ShelburneFarms.org) occupies a former Vanderbilt summer home and now contains 24 rooms and suites furnished very much in the style of the Gilded Age. The surrounding 1,400-acre working farm includes a working dairy — note that the inn is closed mid-fall to mid-spring.

The quaint town of Waterbury, famous for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, is convenient both to Burlington and Stowe and contains one of the best gay-owned accommodations in the state, the Moose Meadow Lodge (MooseMeadowLodge.com), an upscale log home with three plush rooms, a hot tub and a peaceful setting with alluring views. Hosts Greg and Willie are great resources for what to see and do locally.

Stowe’s personality is low-key yet urbane. Virtually all the town’s businesses are gay-friendly, but a few inns are especially so, among them the excellent Timberholm Inn (Timberholm.com), a 1940s cedar lodge with great mountain views; and the luxurious Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa (Stoweflake.com), which provides the sort of indulgent pampering that can make it tempting never to leave the premises. The famed Trapp Family Lodge (TrappFamily.com) is another favorite resort, especially during Winter Rendezvous (it’s the host hotel in 2013).

— Andrew Collins

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 14, 2012.

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES  | Life+Style Editor

2012 was a challenge for ski resorts — and not just during gay ski week. Unseasonably warm months kept the season shorter than usual in most places, and base inches where disappointing. But skiers know: Never give up. A good run is always worth the wait. And the dump of cold weather early on the East Coast following Hurricane Sandy last month left hope that this would be a good season.
So snap on your binders and wax those skis — here’s our annual rundown on the major North American gay ski weeks for 2013.

Aspen Gay & Lesbian Ski Week, Aspen, Colo. Jan. 13–20. The forerunner of gay ski weeks has event at Aspen, Snowmass and Highlands for this, its 36th annual winter party. Favorites like the Downhill Costume Contest return, along with a film festival, a gala and the GayWatch pool and dance party. GaySkiWeek.com.

Winter Rendezvous XXVIII, Stowe, Vt. Jan. 23–27. You can segue right from Aspen to the opposite side of the country for Winter Rendezvous in Stowe, Vt. The 29th outing includes performances by returning DJ Harrison, a Sound of Music sing-along (Stowe is the American home of the Von Trapps) and a live performance from Dina Martina. Winterrendezvous.com.

WinterPride, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Feb. 3–10. Whistler’s big annual ski week turns 21 with the addition of the word “snowboard” to its official title (of course, snowboarders are always welcome at ski weeks anyway). Book by Nov. 15 to save. GayWhistler.com.

Elevation: Utah Gay Ski Week, Park City, Utah. Feb. 21–24. Park City, Utah’s Gay Ski Week (put on by the same folks as Elevation: Mammoth) gets a new look in its third official outing in the home of the Sundance Film Festival. UtahGaySki.com.

Telluride Gay Ski Week, Telluride, Colo. Feb. 22–March 3. Named the U.S.A.’s top gay ski week by Gay.com, the Mountain Village event is back with its 10th incarnation, which runs a full 10 days this year. DJ Brandon Moses, DJ Casey Alva and drag diva Nuclia Waste are among the draws this time, plus Dallas’ own A-Lister, Levi Crocker. American Airlines, the official airline for Telluride Gay Ski Week, offers direct flights from DFW to Montrose, plus a discount code when booking at AA.com/rainbow. TellurideGaySkiWeek.com.

Elevation: Mammoth Gay Ski Week, Mammoth Lakes, Calif. March 13–17. For its 11th outing (literally), this California resort highlights lots of themed après-ski parties like Beach Party, Defrost and the big one, Avalanche. MammothGaySki.com.

OutBoard Gay and Lesbian Snowboard Week, Winter Park, Colo. March 19–24. This gay winter week that targets snowboarders especially is unique for always changing locations. This year it moved from Steamboat Springs to fellow Colorado destination Winter Park for its 18th year.  OutBoard.org.

Once again, at least two planned ski weeks haven’t confirmed their dates as of press time. Vail Gay Ski Week, Vail, Colo. (VailGaySkiWeek.com) and Lake Tahoe WinterFest XVII Gay & Lesbian Ski Week, Lake Tahoe, Nev. (LakeTahoeWinterfest.com) have yet to confirm what will happen with them, but keep an eye out on their web site.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 9, 2012.