Kelsy Chauvin

Award-winning mixologist Fanny Chu is quick to talk about the value of fruit-juice pulp, homemade orgeat, and other fresh cocktail ingredients. But when it comes to the term "organic," she's likely referring to bar culture.

Chu was the last head bartender of Donna, the beloved Williamsburg, New York cocktail club that shuttered in late 2020. Like so many other neighborhood favorites, the pandemic took down Donna, and with it, a Brooklyn bar that understood the kind of environment in which LGBTQ patrons want to drink. But it wasn't necessarily a gay bar.

As Chu explains it, queer folks...

From graffiti to high art, murals are some of the country's most glorious sights. Often, they reflect and honor local communities, with ever-more LGBTQ artists expressing themselves through colorful murals in cities from coast to coast.

There is a risk behind mural art, however. As part of urban streetscapes, murals often are impermanent and subject to every building's and neighborhood's evolution. Even when commissioned, a mural can be lost all too easily — as was the case recently in Philadelphia, when a mural of the late LGBTQ community activist Gloria Casarez on South 12th Street...

Over these past many months, staying home has become its own kind of adventure. And even though we’re (temporarily) not the wanderers we once were, many of us have grown accustomed to channeling the adventure of travel via the glories of Hulu and Netflix. For LGBTQIA folks, movies about faraway places feel even more enchanting when they portray our community. So, spark up your streaming devices and break out the popcorn for these queer classics that will inspire your travel imagination—and get you planning a future trip.

Can’t we all use a mini-break right about now? Day trips are just the ticket for a change of scenery, and perfect for overnight jaunts sans airports. For LGBTQIA travelers, it’s also prime time to discover new, gay-friendly destinations where local communities welcome you with rainbow colors. Here are our favorite flash trips from big cities for you to explore now.

(by Kelsy Chauvin)

Before I ever laid eyes on the northern lights, I asked nearly every Norwegian about them. I heard that the nocturnal spectacle was beauty incarnate. That the lights dance across the sky, washing it in green, purple, and occasionally red, orange, and gold. Sometimes they appear as ribbons, sometimes as broad hazy sheets, sometimes like flames bursting upwards, then rippling back down.

I also heard that the northern lights are unpredictable and elusive. That part is true indeed...

With so many potential benefits and ways to experience, cannabis keeps surprising us. Oregon's Tweedle Farms is now offering something new to many consumers: non-psychoactive flowers.

First, let's rewind. Years ago, many considered hemp and marijuana to be the same thing. Though both derived from the cannabis plant, the big difference is THC. Marijuana contains THC, the primary psychoactive compound that results in the marijuana "high." With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD became a buzzword for health and wellness, with the promise of pain relief, better sleep and reduced stress...

For Delicious Experiences, the possibilities for cooking, mixing, eating, and drinking entirely online are only just beginning.

Nearly eight months into the coronavirus pandemic, the physical world still remains mostly locked down. But the virtual world continues to open up. Founders Inbal Baum and Tal Ater launched their latest venture in August 2020 after a timely stroke of business savvy. The married duo saw their Delicious Israel food tour bookings plummet last spring once COVID-19 struck...

Last year, Wisconsin State Assembly candidate Jessica Katzenmeyer awoke from a three-day coma caused by a sudden, severe respiratory infection. She recovered and was released from the hospital a few days later, only to be slapped with an $80,000 medical bill.

"Eighty thousand dollars to save my life," she says.

During her recovery, Katzenmeyer found herself wanting to heal more than herself — and kept returning to the idea of running for office...If Katzenmeyer wins the battleground district in November, she will be the state assembly's first out trans member within a major swing state.

By Kelsy Chauvin and Matthew Wexler
You had to stay home, Now you want to travel. When you're ready, We're ready. (Sponsored by Orbitz.)

Pride on the Half Shell in Providence
Seafood lovers, rejoice! Fall is here, which means Rhode Island's extra-yummy cold-water oysters are back in all their briny glory. In Providence, travelers will find tantalizing choices for bivalves all over town, especially in Federal Hill, home to fresh-catch restaurants like Providence Oyster Bar and Capri Seafood. Better still, they're...

You had to stay home, Now you want to travel. When you're ready, We're ready. (Sponsored by Orbitz)
by Kelsy Chauvin
Summer 2020 is a road-trip kind of season. Across America, travelers are taking to the beaches, mountains, lakes, and forests to catch up on fresh air and nature. To help you refresh and decompress the gay way, we've compiled this tip sheet for your very own LGBTQ mini-break from five major U.S. cities. Gas up the car, pack up your travel cooler, and let's roll...

Travelers thirsting for faraway discoveries may delight in channeling their cravings directly into cocktail glasses. In my home, we've practiced the "art of the pour" to conjure sunny beaches of the Caribbean (Pina Colada), the agave farms of Mexico (Margarita), the salty harbor of Oakland (Mai Tai), and the rosy side of Minneapolis (Cosmopolitan).
Alas, no beverage tastes quite as good at home as in the actual destination. But it sure is fun to try! Here's a shortlist of classic drinks to...

Marijuana plants are finicky. They need the perfect amount of sun and water, plus mild temperatures. Their soil must be balanced with the right nutrients, and there shouldn’t be too much humidity. Then, even once the plants grow several feet tall, they may turn out to be male, which is helpful for plant reproduction, but not for bearing buds rich in THC and CBD cannabinoids. This sort of knowledge is the foundation of Erich Pearson’s work. Pearson, 43, is founder and CEO of SPARC, a cannabis ...

Let’s start with a little geography. Jackson is a city, and it’s located at the south end of Jackson Hole valley in northwest Wyoming. The valley marks the southern end of spectacular Grand Teton National Park, which begins at the southern end of Yellowstone National Park—America’s first national park, covering 3,500 square miles in three states (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho).

For today’s travelers, Jackson is a dreamy destination to nestle yourself in nature. By day, discover all manner of adventure and recreation. By night, stroll around the rustic-chic town square, dance to live music...

(by Kelsy Chauvin)
Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, can seem almost miraculous. It can ease general aches and chronic pain. It can help relieve symptoms of common health problems like inflammation, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. For many, it's also a welcome, natural alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Unfortunately, many CBD manufacturers don't always deliver quality, traceable products.

Enter Cristina Madruga, EVO3's executive vice president and master cannabinologer. Madruga ensures that Houston-based EVO3 produces reliable CBD oils and topicals from hemp seed to consumer use...

You might be tempted to compare Kansas City to other towns, but the truth is, it’s one of a kind. KCMO—that is, Kansas City, Missouri—is locked right in the middle of America. (And shouldn’t be confused with smaller “KCK,” or Kansas City, Kansas, across the Kansas river.)

Just as the city’s central coordinates suggest, Kansas City is a hub for everything from agriculture and transportation, to gastronomy, arts, and culture. It’s surprisingly diverse and progressive, yet it’s proud to be a heartland city sprung from old-west traditions.