I have been a big fan of Dale Talde for quite some time now. As someone who is an avid “Top Chef” fan, I saw his ferocious personality and cooking ability shine through in not only “Top Chef: Chicago” but also in “Top Chef: All Stars”, where he should’ve made it quite further in both seasons (IMO). Now, with the help of the show and his own drive and determination, he has successfully launched his restaurant simply called “Talde” in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn. “Talde” just celebrated its second anniversary of being open, and consistently has a packed house on a nightly basis, and is helping the thriving area of Park Slope become known for a foodie destination for all New Yorkers to experience. I got to sit down with the Culinary Institute of America grad a couple of days ago to find out more about him and this fantastic eatery. [Read more…] about Talde in Park Slope Brings the Flavor and More
Manhattan
Sample Sale This Weekend- TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia
Sample sales are possibly the greatest sales there are in the city. Why? You can score designer pieces at a fraction of the price.
This Friday and Saturday you can check out TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia women’s wear for up to 80% off their original retail prices, with items starting at just $50. Their most exciting advertised deals available at the sample sale are a beautiful silk Georgette cross back dress marked down to $395 from $875 and a heavy wool felt cape going for $595 as opposed to the original retail price of $1,475. If any of these great designers’ products has ever caught your eye, you won’t want to miss this opportunity.
If you’ve never gone to a sample sale before, there are a few things you need to know. They can definitely be overwhelming to the average shopper.
Here are some tips for shopping this weekend’s sale:
- Do not expect every item to be 80% off. While most items will have a tremendous discount, there will still be a lot that are close to retail. The designers are typically trying to sell their excess inventory, and will not tag items at their lowest possible price. To know if you’re getting a true steal, check the tag. If the sample costs approximately 50% less than the original retail price, then you are getting a great deal. If not, well it’s definitely still a sale, just not at the most wallet friendly price.
- Try to bargain for a better price by looking for possible defects or flaws that you can fix up easily. Check out the zipper, seams, buttons, and any decorative details to see if they’re loose or flimsy. Odds are they’ll take off a few more dollars if you’re willing to buy it despite a loose button. By looking over everything you can save yourself a lot of money by finding things it takes a dollar or two to fix at home.
- Try on everything before you buy it. More often than not these items have been cut for a specific model’s body or for a certain style. Since you can’t return items purchased at a sample sale, make sure it fits you as perfectly as the person as it was made for. While alterations and other quick fixes can solve problems like sleeve or pant length, they can’t entirely change the item. Before buying also consider the costs of alterations. If you’re looking at $50 or so in alterations, make sure you’re getting a true deal on the sample item.
- Go to the sale at the right time. At the beginning almost nothing will be sold for anything lower than it is tagged at. Shoppers will still be getting great deals, but they won’t be as big as the deals towards the end of the sale. If you wait until the last few hours of the last day, you can often get up to an additional 20% off your purchase. At this point, they see that what is still there may not sell if they don’t lower the price.
With those tips in mind, make your way over to the sale this Friday and Saturday.
The TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia sample sale is taking place from 10 am to 7 pm at 150 West 25th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, Suite 502 in New York, NY.
Natasha Owens, An Unconventional Look at Pop: Music Reviews
It is hard in today’s sex crazed, pop sugar type of a music world for anything not of the norm to make it big with what we have in front of us. Especially when you throw the word “Christian” in it as it tends to have its own connotation attached to it. Natasha Owens proves that you don’t have to go to extremes like the Rihanna and Britney Spears of the worlds in order to get people’s attention, you can do it in two other ways- your voice and your message. That is what she is expressing on her incredible effort, “I Made It Through”. On her official website, she explains it as “A Journey Of Healing And Restoration”, something that seems to be needed for so many people today.
In the video about the album itself, she talks about losing her father back in 2010 and the daily struggles of something as simple as getting out of bed was a task to do. She had an anger with god originally that over time quickly changed when she drew inspiration from other people’s songs about the man himself and realized that he was really looking over her all along. Now I am not much of a religious person, but I can relate exactly to how she is feeling because I lost my mother roughly ten years ago and part of what got me through was uplifting music and the spirit to go on, and that is why I think this is an album that truly should not be missed.
Two of the stand out tracks from the album itself is the title track and “The Cure”, which are both beautifully written and easy listening songs that anyone can personally relate to. She also has this to say about her music- “I strive to create music that contain songs of restoration that can help each listener with whatever trial in their life that they were facing. To let them know that they are not alone, that there is a God who loves them and will never leave them.” I couldn’t agree more. She is someone to look out for in 2014, and my hopes are that her music is heard by as many people as possible and get her message.
Natasha Owens Album Video
Check out her site for more information, and best of luck to Natasha in the future!
Besito In Huntington Village in Long Island | Restaurant Reviews
Sure this website is meant for all things Manhattan but we can’t forget one of the greatest (and not so greatest) part of New York- Long Island! As someone who grew up on the island of long I have faced my fare share of stereotypes that we Long Islanders face on a daily basis. A consistent one seems to be that all we are is delis and chain restaurants. Whereas I believe we have some of the best freaking delis in the world, we also have really good and authentic food that doesn’t come from your run of the mill chain establishment. If you are looking for some damn good Mexican cuisine mixed with a downtown, NYC type vibe, Besito in Huntington Village is the place to go.
“Long Island’s Premier Mexican Restaurant,” Besito, “leaves the competition in the dust” says Joanne Starkey of The New York Times. The authentic Mexican restaurant, translated little kiss in Spanish, is owned by veteran restaurateur John Tunney III, David Tunney & John Rieger. Besito Mexican Kitchen and Agave Lounge opened its first location in 2006 in Huntington, followed by the second location in 2007 in Roslyn, followed by the third location in 2009 in West Hartford, CT. Both Long Island locations garnered “excellent” ratings from The New York Times, while the West Hartford location was named Best Mexican Restaurant by Hartford Magazine and Open Table’s #1 Mexican Restaurant in the New York/Tri-State Area.
I grew up right around Huntington Village and it always reminded me of the actual village area in New York, minus the annoying tourists and hipsters. Although the restaurant scene and businesses in Huntington Village seem to change on a yearly if not monthly basis, Besito has managed to keep itself there for years running. Not having been there in a couple of years, I was delighted recently to go with a good girlfriend of mine and see what all the fuss was about since I have been there. Boy oh boy did they not disappoint.
Anytime you hear the worlds “Table Side Guacamole” you instantly get a happy face, I don’t care who you are. Guac is life my friends, and their guacamole is truthfully delicious and packed with a ton of flavor. Definitely a good starter in my book. Another good appetizer for you and your team to much on is the Flautas De Pollo and the Empanadas de Hongos to name a few. The Empanadas are quite fresh tasting and beat your everyday frozen type you can get at the supermarket by a long shot. Same go with the Flautas, which is also known as a crispy type of chicken taco. Both were quite delicious.
I think every meal on the entree menu deserves some type of Academy Award for how awesome it would taste in my mouth, however me and my friend chose two that suited that bill and beyond. I’m a stickler for steak being cooked correctly and having a good amount of flavor and taste to it as if it is left alone can taste quite bland. The Alambre de Res, or Strip Steak with Salsa Verde, Chorizo and rice, fit the spot completely. But the standout dish for me and my friend was hands down was the Camarones Ajillo, which were jumbo shrimp cooked in a garlic chile salsa with a side of mashed boniato, their version of a mashed potatoes. It was such a great mixture of savory, sweet and salty that blended really well together. The beans and rice on the side are always a good addition to any meal, but what side really tasted incredible was the Elotes de la Calle, or roasted corn with Roasted Local Corn, Chile Molido and Queso Fresco. Incredible. Overall, this meal was quite phenomenal.
You also get a couple of churros on the way out which is the satisfying end to a great meal. If you are ever in the Huntington Village area of Long Island, Besito is definitely something I would recommend going to. A bit pricey for my demographics standards, but if you can afford it it is worth the dime. Trust me. Besito’s menu varies from lunch to dinner so check out the official website so more information.
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” Review
In 1960, an aspiring would be teacher walked into record producer Don Kirschner’s office at 1650 Broadway and turned herself into one of pop’s music biggest songwriters. This precocious 17 year from Brooklyn was Carol Joan Klein, who later became the legendary Carole King. Ms. King’s life tale is unfolding nightly at Broadway’s Stephen Sondheim theatre in the mostly entertaining, occasionally schmaltzy, biographical “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
King is best known for her 1971 album Tapestry, for which she was awarded Grammys for album, record, and song of the year. Yet before this seminal recording, she wrote feel good pop hits with husband and co-writer Gerry Goffin including “Take Good Care of My Baby”, “One Fine Day”, “Up On The Roof”, “The Loco-motion”, and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow.”
Doug McGrath’s book weaves the story of King’s younger days with energetic slick musical numbers by those who made them famous (The Drifters, The Shirelles, and Little Eva). Married at the age of 17 to Goffin, King’s uphill battle with his wandering eye, manic depressive behavior, and substance abuse ultimately led to their divorce in 1968.I certainly don’t wish to minimize the personal turmoil that a troubled marriage can cause, but one has to question whether or not that singular issue of a biographical piece can sustain an entire production. Luckily, there are more than enough winning performances to compensate.
Jessie Mueller’s take on Carole King is stunning. While she doesn’t impersonate her subject, she evokes all of her warmth and heartache. Mueller splashed onto the Broadway scene in the otherwise forgettable revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever in 2011 and scored a Tony nomination for her role as the jazz singer. Tony voters would be wise to take note of her star-turn portrayal of an artist whose vulnerability and quiet strength have given us timeless classics and inspired countless singer-songwriters. Jake Epstein does a fine job of balancing Goffin’s neuroses and womanizing into a still sympathetic, conflicted soul. Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector are top notch as Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann (respectively). Weil and Mann were friendly rivals to Goffin and King during their early songwriting years and penned the chart toppers “On Broadway”, “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling”, and “Walking in the Rain”, all of which are performed by a high-octane ensemble.
It is a curious observation that the show has been billed as “The Carole King Musical”, as much of its content features a broad overview of the 1650 Broadway/Brill Building era of songwriting. The “1650 Broadway Medley” near the top of Act 1, is a cleverly staged look at the days when songs were cranked out like cars on an assembly line. Upon hearing “Be-Bop- A- Lula” for the first time, Producer Kirschner (played with a fine blend of rakishness and charm by Jeb Brown), interrupts mid-way through the song and asks, “Is the rest of it like this? Just the same few notes over and over with lyrics that a dolphin could write?” He then applauds and exclaims, “I’ll take it! That’s very popular right now!” Indeed. Songs of that ilk were the rage back then and Beautiful has no shortage of them. Steve Sidwell’s sharp orchestrations and musical arrangements maintain the integrity of the original recordings and complement a masterful cast.Derek McLane’s scenic work is smartly designed and Alejo Vietti’s costumes are “sixties trendy” and fashionably appropriate. Combined, these elements will leave audiences with a smile on their faces and fond musical memories. While many other jukebox musicals tend towards banality and blandness, Beautiful is fun to watch, easy on the ears, and it might just (oh dear reader, I simply can’t resist)–make the “earth move under your feet.”
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is now playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, 124 West 43rd Street between 6th avenue and Broadway; Tickets are available by phone at 212-239-6200, telecharge.com, or at the box office.
Barber Pete- Staying Relevant While Under Construction
In today’s ever changing world, many people are realizing that the industry they are working in simply just isn’t doing it for them anymore. Whether it is a money thing, your surroundings or simply not happy where you are we are have our reasons. Barber Pete, or my good friend Pete Karjalainen is a prime example of that. After successfully being in the adult industry for over twenty years under the names Eric York and Pete Finland, he has decided to go off on his own as a successful barber in the Washington D.C. area. He has developed himself into something quite different from what he used to do yet still keeping up with his image in his former life and not making any apologies for it. I know several people who have denounced what they used to do in that industry, and Pete simply just looks back on it. Now he is “Under Construction” and doing his best in another field which seems to be doing quite well for him. I sat down with him over the weekend to get his take on it all, including a very controversial commercial that he was involved in a couple of years back. Take a look and see for yourself.
How did you get your start in the industry?
It began when I met porn agent, David Forest. At the time, he had all the big names under his wing- Ryan Idol, Chi Chi Larue, and so on. He asked me to sign up with him. I was new in LA and needed the cash. That’s how it started.
Did you prefer being Eric York or Pete Finland?
David Forest came up with name Eric York. Peter is my real name. I prefer Pete.
Why the name change?
I felt like I needed a change. With Eric I was the guy next door, I’m a grown man now. Like I said, peter is my rel name. My rel last name is one of those typical Finnish last names that no one can pronounce. And since I had been working with The Tom of Finland Foundation since 1999, using Pete Finland just made sense and it was easy for people to remember.
What’s your opinion on the industry today?
When I started, Viagra didn’t exist, therefore, we relied on our own passion on the set. These days, they have all the pills and injections to get hard, so there often seems to be very little chemistry. There are a lot of hot guys, but I think those who enjoy porn wish to see more chemistry and passion.
Why did you ultimately leave it?
It stopped being fun. I did my last scene in London in the summer of 2012, and it was anything but fun. Sex is supposed to be passionate and intimate, not cold and calculating. Don’t get me wrong – I’m VERY grateful for the twenty years in the business … and that I lived to tell about it. The places i saw and the people i met were just awesome. Simply, it was time to move on to something that I enjoy and feel passionate about. At the end, I received the Raven’s Eden Living Legend Award. That was a good place to retire.
Tell me about the experience doing the rugby commercial.
It was such an interesting experience. I was walking my dog in West Hollywood and a woman approached me and asked if I wanted to be in a commercial. We did short video interview. They called me to a casting agency in Santa Monica a few days later. There were 17 guys for the same role. Since i have a Finnish accent, I thought that I didn’t stand a chance and I almost left. I was already there, so I decided to stick around. When it was my turn, they kept asking me if i had a problem kissing another guy. I said, “Absolutely not”, and I was hired. The day of the shoot, we started at 7AM in a Venice Beach sports bar with a real rugby team and several extras. The famous kiss was a secret from the rugby team. The funny thing is that while we were waiting around, I started to bond with the guys from the team and felt very comfortable. Late in the day, knowing that the kiss is going to come, it started to be nerve-racking. I didn’t know how the rowdy team was going to react to the surprise. Randy, the guy i was kissing, froze! That’s why i grabbed his head and pulled him in. I figured: if we are going to do this, we are going to do it like we mean it! The first take was the most important and the one that really mattered. The camera needed to capture the reactions of the rugby players. Of course we had to do it 7-8 times, but the reactions you see are totally real. Afterwards, everyone was very cool.
How did you transition into becoming barber Pete?
l’ve always been fascinated about facial hair and barbering. Facial hair for men is what make up is for women – both can hide or enhance your facial features. I view the interaction between me and the guy sitting in my barber chair as the ultimate in male bonding, even is there is no conversation. I enjoy that. In addition, my sister has her own salon in Helsinki, so it’s kind of in my blood.
Anything else you are working on now?
No, I’m just focusing on barbering.
What are your hopes for the future?
To make a name for myself as a barber. Maybe even develop my own product line for men’s hair care later on.
I have been doing this whole blogging thing for four years now and in doing so have interviewed some pompous and arrogant people in their own fields. Barber Pete is the exact opposite, and he is not only a kind and sweet guy but also smart and sexy to boot. Did I mention sexy? Yeah because thinking otherwise would be like saying pizza tastes disgusting and is stupid. If you would like to know more about Barber Pete, including how you yourself can book an appointment with him in the D.C. area, check out his Twitter & Instagram for more information. He works for the Logal 14 Salon & Spa which you can find more of here.
Jesse Jackman- Brilliant Mind Beyond the Aesthetic
I think mainly anyone can tell you that something that is a big factor in finding someone attractive is not only their looks but really if they have a good brain to back it up. Jesse Jackman is a good example of that. Not only is he a rugged, handsome and all around sexy as f kind of a man, but he also is a fellow writer who dishes out quality op-ed’s for the world to see and engage in. One of the biggest names in the adult industry, and a current XBiz nominee for Gay Performer Of The Year, has truly made a name for himself both in and out of the industry. He and his boyfriend, fellow adult film star Dirk Caber, are the biggest porn couple out there right now, are at the forefronts of many of their fans minds and khaki inseams with their ongoing posts, travels and opinions about themselves and the community around them. I got the chance to sit down with Mr. Jackman himself, to get a better idea of who he is not only as the star that many of us have come to know but really the man behind the lens, something that is often lost in this type of industry. Take a look.
Let’s take this back before you became a well known figure. At what age were you when you discovered you were gay and what was the process in coming out?
I think I always knew I was “different” somehow, but I didn’t really figure out I was gay until I hit puberty and started eyeing the other boys in junior high school instead of the girls. I didn’t date anyone when I was in my teens; I was too afraid to come out as gay, and dating women just didn’t feel right. So all through high school and college I chose to throw myself into my studies rather than owning and exploring my sexuality.
I finally came out when I was 20 and wrote a letter to an openly gay teacher who had spoken to my high school class at an assembly several years earlier. He was the only flesh-and-blood connection I’d ever seen to the gay world, and the only person I could think of to reach out to. I didn’t think he’d write back, but he did, and his letter was incredibly supportive. He encouraged me to tell a someone I trusted and didn’t think would be judgmental. I took his advice and told my best friend. It went wonderfully; in fact, it deepened our friendship considerably because I didn’t have to hide that part of me anymore (although he suspected I might be gay because I never dated anyone). I gradually told more and more of my friends over the next couple of years, and they were all really accepting. I think my favorite reaction came from one of my college friends about a year after we graduated: All he said was, “That’s cool… what’s for lunch?” and that was the end of it. Even my parents were supportive. I had thought that coming out would be this huge dramatic affair, but in fact it all went wonderfully. I finally started dating just before I turned 23.
Did you find it much harder to come out back then compared to how much easier and accepted it is to come out now?
I think that depends a lot the situation. Generally I’d say that it’s easier now than it was 20 years ago, but I still hear lots of horror stories from young gay men and women who were beaten up by their peers or thrown out by their families. I was very lucky; I grew up in a very liberal state (Massachusetts) in a great family with supportive friends… but I know people that people in other states, countries, and circumstances aren’t nearly as fortunate. One of the reasons I wrote my first Huffington Post article, “We Must (Not) Surrender” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-jackman/we-must-not-surrender_b_4220188.html), was to help LGBT victims of bullying and intimidation understand that they are not alone.
What has been your experience as a whole in the gay community? Where do you think that we excel at and where do you think we can improve on?
I find the gay community to be a bit fractured. For example, Dirk and I live in a traditionally lesbian neighborhood; there are also traditionally gay (male) neighborhoods in Boston, and the two communities don’t interact much. I see similar divides just within the male community. The idea of “classifications” of gay men (circuit boys, bears, otters, twinks and so on) always bothered me a bit, especially when people in one category segregate themselves from those in other groups. I’ve found HIV status to be a big dividing line, too. I’m proud that my friends come in all different shades of gender, appearance, sexuality, and status.
It seems to me that it either takes a cause (Stonewall, marriage equality) or a crisis (AIDS) to really unite the LGBT community… and when we do unite, we’re one of the strongest social forces on earth. I wish we could learn to be more unified all the time, not just when faced with adversity.
How did you get your start in the industry?
There is one guy in particular, Roman Wright, who got me into making porn. But first a little back-story: Over July 4th weekend in 2011 I met Hunter Marx, a Titan model, and his partner Ethan Anders in Saugatuck, Michigan. They were hot. We fucked around a lot had a ton of fun… so much so that I started idly wondering if what we did might be reproducible in front of a camera. A week later, back in Boston, I happened to run into the aforementioned Roman, an old friend, and half-jokingly asked him if he thought I could work in porn (with no serious intent to ever do it, despite my curiosity). He said he thought I could, but that I shouldn’t. Roman knows me pretty well, and thought I wouldn’t deal well with the inevitable criticism that comes with public performance. (He was ultimately right: I try very hard not to read reviews of my scenes because I take negative criticism rather personally.)
Roman flew home to San Francisco the next day. Then, out of the blue, I got a message on Facebook from a guy I’d never heard of named Patrick Finger:
Hi Jesse,
I handle casting for Titan Media. I’m standing here with Roman Wright and he’s telling me that you’d like to work with us. You’re a great looking guy. Are you interested?
Patrick
Oh, that Roman. I guess I’d been putting off a pretty strong vibe that, subconsciously, I really did want to work in the industry… or Roman figured he’d at least arrange for the opportunity and let me make up my own damn mind. Anyway, I told Patrick I’d think about it. After about two weeks of soul-searching I finally decided that if I didn’t at least try it, I would always wonder what it was like. I filled out the model application and emailed it in. Less than three hours later I got a message back from Patrick saying that everything looked good and that Titan would love to work with me. We spoke on the phone the next day, and within a couple of weeks I flew to San Francisco to film my first scene – with Hunter Marx, the Titan Man from Saugatuck, of all people! – for my first TitanMen film, Surveillance. I eventually got to shoot a scene with Roman too, a flip scene in Command Performance.
What do you think is the biggest misconception of the adult industry?
Unfortunately, a common misconception among the general public is that porn stars are one-dimensional, or are in porn because we’re somehow “damaged,” or even that we’re all drug addicts who turn to porn as a last resort. People are often surprised to find out that I have a day job. Most of us do! I’ve met actors who are personal trainers, weather forecasters, investment bankers, stock brokers, artists, massage therapists, Broadway dancers… my husband Dirk is an accomplished classical musician! The fact is that there are many well-rounded, well-adjusted, fascinating people in the industry who are simply doing it to add some spice to their lives and earn a little pocket money in the process.
By the way, my regular employer is totally fine with my little side career. It’s actually an interesting story; you can read about it at http://jessejackman.xxx/2012/10/15/adversity-advocacy-and-affirmation.
For anyone that is looking to get into it, what advice do you have?
I wrote about this extensively on my blog in a post called “So You Think You Can Fuck” (http://jessejackman.xxx/2013/02/27/so-you-think-you-can-fuck), but here’s the summary: First, decide why you want to be in the industry. You should do it because you want to, not because you need to; it’s not a career, and you can’t rely on getting steady work. There might be periods of time when you’re filming every week, but there will also be dry spells that last for months. Also consider whether your family, friends, and employer will be okay when they find out you make porn (which they will). Reach out to studios that match your look and attitude; if you’re a heavily-muscled, hairy, tattooed cigar smoker, don’t apply to a company that makes twink porn! (The guys at Titan, however, would love to hear from you for their Titan Rough series.) And when you do apply, be honest. Don’t lie about your stats or your level of experience. Don’t send airbrushed or Photoshopped pictures; the studios would rather see the raw material they have to work with, not an artist’s rendition of it. Finally, know that if you ever film a bareback scene, you’ll be automatically excluded from working with some of the largest studios out there, including Titan, COLT, and others.
Let’s talk about your relationship with Dirk for a second. How did you guys meet and how long did it take for you to be in a full blown relationship?
I was introduced to Dirk by a very close friend in September of 2011. I was new to the industry, and my friend thought that Dirk, who’d already been in the industry for over a year, would be a good “big brother” to me as I started to learn the ropes. I’d already seen Dirk in TitanMen’s Sting, which I watched while doing research for Surveillance. (Hunter Marx, my Surveillance scene partner, was also in Sting and I wanted to learn more about what would turn him on.) Our connection was immediate and strong and very sexual, and we actually hooked up the same night I met him. We worked side-by-side at the Titan booth during the 2011 Folsom Street Fair, and we stayed in touch afterwards, talking and texting almost daily. He lived in Chicago at the time, so we weren’t sure that a long-distance relationship would work, but after a couple of trips to see each other, we realized that our chemistry was too amazing not to give it a try. By Halloween we considered ourselves a couple; at Thanksgiving we met each other’s families; and on Christmas day we made it “official” in the way that it’s done these days: by changing our Facebook relationship statuses. That last step came as little surprise to our friends; by that time the general consensus was “Well, duh!”
After another year of doing the long-distance thing, we decided the time was right to move in together. Dirk started planning his relocation to Boston, and we finally moved in together at the end of May 2013. Everything’s going great so far… although we have more furniture than we know what to do with.
I read a post you did for HuffPo detailing how you guys are open but there are rules to it. Seeing as open relationships tend to be very judged in this community, how do you respond to people who think that relationships should be strictly monogamous?
To each their own. I have no problem with monogamy; if it works for you, go for it! Although Dirk and I have found that an open relationship is a good fit for us, I’d never judge anyone for being in a monogamous relationship. Similarly, I would hope that monogamy-oriented people don’t judge our open one. Dirk sums it up very elegantly: “To paraphrase Ingrid Bergman in Cactus Flower, they can go to their church and we’ll go to ours.”
Seeing as both of you are well known inside the industry, what hurdles do you face when it comes to not being on camera and being in the real world?
We have our share of trials, successes, and failures, just like all couples do. I’d say that the biggest challenge so far has been adjusting to living together. I’ve never lived with a partner before, and Dirk only did so very briefly when he lived in New York, so it’s a big change for both of us. We’re in each other’s space a lot. Fortunately we have a pretty big house, which we’ve set up so that each of us has a room where we can just shut the door and focus on whatever we need to. Dirk, who is of Scottish descent, even has a sign on his door (which I gave him) that says “Scottish Territory: No Trespassing!”
Outside of the industry, you have a lot going on for yourself including being a big time blogger. How did you score the HuffPo gig and what is your mission statement when you write for them?
The Huffington Post gig came about as an unexpectedly amazing result of a very challenging time. In October of 2013 I posted a (G-rated) photo on Facebook of Dirk and me sharing a kiss. Although I’d posted plenty of pictures like that before, for some reason this particular one got a lot of negative comments, from the mild (“Ew, gross!”) to the overtly threatening (“All faggots must die”). One person even threatened to shoot me. And then, without warning, Facebook deleted my photo and banned me from posting for 12 hours, claiming that the photo had “violated community standards.” I immediately contacted several industry blogs to draw attention to the situation, and my story also drew the attention of several mainstream media outlets, including newspapers in several countries, a television station in San Francisco, and the Huffington Post’s Technology section. Shortly after the HuffPost article was published, Facebook quietly restored my photo (along with all the comments, even the harassing ones) without offering me any direct explanation.
A few days later, the editor of HuffPost’s Gay Voices section contacted me to ask if I’d be interested in writing about my experience during the whole incident. I agreed, and spent three weeks writing an op-ed piece that not only provided a recap of the events, but also explained why it was important for Dirk and me to stand up to the harassment and threats we’d received. I guess the HuffPost editors liked what they read; after the article was published, to my surprise they provided me with a regular contributor’s account. I’ve since written two additional articles (one on safe sex and another on gay marriage) and will be contributing more in the future. You can read all my articles at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-jackman.
I feel like working in the adult film industry gives me a unique perspective; I hope that sharing my experiences in the industry and beyond will make some small difference. For example, a future article will discuss the importance of, and controversy surrounding, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV exposure. I’ve found that a lot of gay men don’t know about PEP and PrEP, so I see this as a valuable opportunity to get the word out about these revolutionary therapies.
What are your hopes and goals for 2014 and beyond?
My life just keeps getting better as I get older. My only wish is for the trend to continue.
Stay up to date with Jesse by following him on Facebook and his fantastic blog. Best of luck to him in the future!
Grammy Award Predictions: Record Of The Year
Music’s biggest night is only three weeks away now, where the 2014 Grammy Awards will take place live on CBS at 8PM Eastern, 7 Central. The Grammy Committee released its nomination list in early December to much fanfare and shock. One of the biggest awards of the night, if not the biggest, is “Record Of The Year”, an award that is recent years has gone to Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep”, Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now”, and most recently Gotye & Kimbra’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”. This year’s category is interesting as it really isn’t that cut and dry as it was in previous years, which makes this category amongst others that much more interesting. Let’s break down the nominees, and see who was left out, who should win and ultimately who will win.
Record Of The Year Nominees-
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams- “Get Lucky”
Lorde- “Royals”
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams- “Blurred Lines”
Bruno Mars- “Locked Outta Heaven”
Imagine Dragons- “Radioactive”
Who Got Snubbed Yo-
There were a couple of people that I thought could’ve definitely been in the running for this category, but above all I think the Grammy Award Nomination Committee got this one right. Justin Timberlake was the biggest snub in my opinion for his song “Mirrors” as I thought he was kind of a shoo in for this and the other two main categories (Song, Album of the Year). Other hopefuls for this were Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home” and Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” as they tend to love both artists in their perspective categories (Rap, Country).
The Long Shot-
The Long Shot here in my opinion is Bruno Mars, as when you look at his track record at the Grammy’s he always seems to be the bridesmaid and never the bride in terms of the big categories. The Grammy Award committee always nominates him for these particular awards, yet he never seems to win them. Granted he has won one, but he also has been nominated about 10 times in the past couple of years. So this will come and go for him again as he is always up against bigger fish.
Who Will Win-
There can definitely be an argument for each of the nominees for who will win this, minus Bruno Mars. I feel like Pharrell might be the thorn in both nominees sides because each song came out at the same time over the summer, and received similar fanfare in terms of chart positions, airplay and overall sales. I get the feeling that the Grammy Award committee that votes for this won’t really be able to differentiate between the two, and they will cancel themselves out. So this leaves “Radioactive” and “Royals”. Alternative has definitely had its moments for “Record Of The Year” over the past decade, with acts like Gotye, Kings Of Leon, Green Day and Amy Winehouse winning. That being said, my money is on “Radioactive” to win, as it seems to go with how the Grammy’s have voted on in the past. An upset for Lorde would be great, but I’m not counting on it that much.
Who Should Win-
I have a hard time breaking this down as for me it is between two songs- “Royals” and “Get Lucky”. “Blurred Lines” was great but I felt like it was overplayed and redundant after a while. I do feel as though “Blurred Lines” in the grand scheme of things could be considered the ROTY as it was the highest selling song on iTunes and stayed number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for such a long time, but personally I don’t feel that it is. Neither do I feel this way about “Locked Outta Heaven” and “Radioactive”. “Royals” has a simple beat with some simple backup singers, yet Lorde’s amazing falsetto and message of an anti bling society that she wants to be the queen of really rang true for me. In a world of Miley/One Direction mania, she really comes in to counteract something like those two and bring a more authentic sound to what she is doing. “Royals” would be a great winner. As for “Get Lucky”, two words- Nile Rodgers. Anytime you hook him up on a song it is going to be dope. “Get Lucky” is one of those songs that is just as good instrumentally as it is with Pharrell’s smooth vocals. It was the best dance track of 2013 in my opinion, and I would just love to see this win off the sheer fun of Daft Punk getting on the Grammy Award stage with those helmets to accept. Tee hee.
Who do you think should win? Take a listen to a Grammy podcast that I did with my good friend John Campanario last month after the nominations were released to hear our perspective on who should and will win. Best of luck to The Grammy Award nominees!
–
Journeying Inside Llewyn Davis
The trailer for the new Coen brothers movie was a surprisingly dry tease. With stilted, almost Mumblecore dialog in desaturated imagery over Bob Dylan’s folk chords, the trailer sold the movie as any other 20-something inspired indie flick. To frustrate the viewer further, it cuts to black before the audience even hears Llewyn’s first acoustic strum. Upon unwrapping, however, Inside Llewyn Davis proves to be a box stuffed full of the Coen brothers’ best working habits, complete with amusingly dysfunctional failures of characters, dialog that variously nips and bites, and for what it’s worth, the best folk soundtrack for a movie seen since… well, the Coen brothers’ other folk-inspired Odyssey, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Oscar Isaac takes up the role of a couch-surfing New York folk singer in 1961, who is also a physical amalgamation of early Bob Dylan and his colleague Dave Van Ronk (the latter comparison is revealed explicitly by the cover of Llewyn’s new solo album Inside Llewyn Davis, which remakes the cover of real life album Inside by Dave Van Ronk). The movie begins in media res with an answer to the cutaway of the trailer, by settling right in to a concert at The Gaslight in Greenwich Village (again, Van Ronk’s old haunting grounds). After a pleasant introductory song you get used to the smoky enchantment of the place, rendered by new(ish) Coen brother collaborator Bruno Delbonnel (Roger Deakins was busy shooting Skyfall, so the brothers hired the director of photography from their Paris, je t’aime short). Once the piece is over, however, events quickly turn brutal, as Llewyn apologizes for hitherto unknown drunken actions of the night before to his barkeep friend, and then gets kicked and beaten outside the bar.
It turns out that the beginning is a bookend device and the background to these events are strung out from there. Llewyn Davis is feckless at best: sleeping in an unending circle of his friends’ couches, dropping his equipment off hither tither, and trying to run away from either some crushing responsibility or inner demons, it only becomes clear later which. He’s the existential and dramatic counterpoint to a slapstick hero, his thoughts always one step behind his own actions, resulting in a cascade of negative consequences.
Within the first couple of scenes he loses his upscale professor friend’s cat and is chewed out by Jean (Carey Mulligan), girlfriend of Jim (Justin Timberlake) for possibly getting her pregnant. Situations never really settle from there. As Llewyn Davis traverses the lonely New York City landscape, staving off fatigue and rolling over his debt against time into higher interest rates, we get further insight into the nature of his base circumstances. It turns out that he’s being left behind as Jean’s and Jim’s careers start to blossom, the folk scene starts to crystallize, and Llewyn has to make a decision between finding work and dedicating himself to his art. Thus the odyssey starts, as Llewyn seeks a way to get cash from his agent, the cat back to the Gorfeins, and the attention of record executive Bud Grossman, not to mention come to terms with his defiantly hidden feelings for Jean. This journey will bounce him up and down Manhattan’s west sides and between New York and Chicago, while running him into a variety of Coenish characters such as John Goodman’s appearance as a batty and overweight jazz musician.
As a central character, Llewyn can sometimes be difficult to stomach. With an abrasive personality, caustic attitude, and a constantly burning frustration, he’s every deadbeat mooch you’ve ever been friends with, except slightly more parasitic. Nevertheless the Coens actually manage to not only provoke sympathy, but actually all out empathy for his character. For all his screw-ups he doesn’t have much of a choice, and ultimately his inner motivations come down to things and people he’s lost well before the movie started. The trip he takes doesn’t operate quite like a Hero’s Journey, but rather is the medium through which we gain insight into his past. Thus the movie elegantly lives up to its name.
Whether audiences will muster it will be a different question. Inside Llewyn Davis is inverse O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Where the latter is colorful and fun the former is drab and so dry it crackles. Where the O Brother sold its soundtrack, the soundtrack sells Llewyn Davis. And rather than adapting The Odyssey with folk music, Llewyn Davis structures folk music history around an odyssey. The result is the exact type of movie that excites critics but depresses audiences.
The Ten Most Awesome Songs of 2013… In My Opinion
2013 was pretty much an amazing year when it came to the variety of songs that were provided by a bevy of artists in their own respective genre. We had a couple of really good late in the game entries as well that really gave some of the bigger artists and songs this year a run for their money. From pop to alternative, to hip hop blending with EDM, these in my opinion were the ten best songs of 2013. Billboard Magazine had a similar list to mine in what they were thinking as well. They are in no particular order, but are all pure awesomeness. Take a look.
A$AP Rocky Featuring Skrillex- Wild For The Night
A$AP is one of the best rappers out there right now in a field that seems to be lacking in original talent. The only other guy out there right now that is on a similar level and new to a degree is Kendrick. That being said, “Wild For The Night” charts on this list for me because it was the best club banger of 2013. Masterfully collaborating with the biggest EDM producer out there right now, Grammy-Award winning Skrillex, A$AP spits lyrics at an elevated speed to compliment Skrillex’s mind numbing beats and what is the result? Pure awesomness.
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams- Get Lucky
Pharrell had two big songs this year, this being one of them and of course being featured in “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke as the other. If I had to choose one of the two songs to be in my top ten, this would’ve been the better one. The Niles Rogers assisted track catapulted Daft Punk back into the top of the charts stratosphere with “Random Access Memories” being one of the best reviewed and selling albums of 2013. This is another one of those songs where two completely different acts came together and struck pure gold. The beat to this song is incredibly infectious, and it also served its purpose for many Gay Americans as it proved to be somewhat of a theme song when Prop 8 was overturned in early Summer 2013. Definitely one of the best songs of the year if not the best.
Lorde- Royals
Lorde in my opinion is the anti Miley Cyrus. This song kind of proves that thought process. The fresh faced 16 year old from New Zealand quietly made her way into being one of the biggest new artists of 2013, with a song that has a simple drum beat, backup singers and a message that speaks profoundly about the industry itself today. With lyrics like “We don’t care, we aren’t caught up in your love affair”, she basically talks truthfully about how she was raised and why she refuses to conform in a somewhat “Bling Bling” society. Expect big things for this girl in the new year, and beyond.
P!nk & Nate Ruess- Just Give Me A Reason
I for one am always a big fan of when a man and woman duet with each other. From “Endless Love” to “Almost Paradise” it always seems to be a formula that works well. P!nk, who is not really known for her duets as her voice is powerful enough on its own, struck a huge chord with millions of people with the number one single “Just Give Me A Reason”. Side by side with Fun! frontman Nate Ruess, the breakup to makeup song became one of her biggest hits of her career and scored her a Grammy nomination for Song Of The Year. P!nk proves why she is still one of the best out there after being in the business for over 15 years.
Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z- Drunk In Love
Beyonce had the best music story of this year, and the funny thing is that it happened less than 2 weeks ago. it’s insane how she was able to pull all of this off and practically NO ONE knew what she was doing. On December 7th at 12am, she released her self titled new album to the world exclusively on iTunes, and just like many Stans out there, we all ate it up. There were plenty of songs on her album that I could’ve included on this list (XO and Flawless as examples) but I am always a sucker for whenever she duets with Jay. This duet with him is the best one yet, and she proves why everyone else needs to bown down and respect the Kween.
Miley Cyrus- We Can’t Stop
Say what you want about Miley, but she really took the fuck over this year for sure. You can take her two different ways- annoying slut or marketing genius. I prefer the latter, because as much as people want to say she is a terrible influence and all this other stuff she is just doing the same thing that other pop divas like Madonna and Britney have done before. She is just a more modernized version of it. “We Can’t Stop” is another club banger and a completely different side of the re-upped Miley. With risque talks of partying, to that one video of her naked on a Wrecking Ball, this really was the year of Miley and I myself am looking forward to seeing what she has in store for 2014 and beyond.
Justin Timberlake- Mirrors
Facts are facts- Justin had the biggest comeback of a year. Without a doubt. Keeping his return to music a bit hush hush like Beyonce did, he came roaring back in early 2013 with “The 20/20 Experience”. “Suit & Tie” wasn’t exactly a very loved track, but the follow up “Mirrors” was much more well received and worth the 7 minute listen. Just a beautiful song and his crooning voice blends beautifully with the orchestra like music in the background. Here’s to hoping he keeps with this music thing for a while, because it is what he is best at.
Drake Featuring Majid Jordan- Hold On We’re Going Home
For me, Drake is at his best when he is singing, not when he is rapping. “Hold On We’re Going Home” is a great example of this. Billed as the second single off his platinum selling “Nothing Was The Same”, “Hold” was a softer approach from his first choice “Started From The Bottom” and really showcased his vocal abilities. Set to an 80’s type throwback, the song jumped to the top of the charts and further solidified the dude as a pop/R&B/hip-hop crossover and further away from his mixtape/DeGrassi persona that we all knew about him. Keep it going…
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert- Same Love
Macklemore is a guy that has been in the game for a lot longer than people realize, he just happened to jump off at the end of 2012 with a sick saxophone beat to the song “Thrift Shop”. His unique approach to his rapping along with helping other undiscovered artists from Ray Dalton to Wanz. He is the first guy to really tackle the issue of gay marriage in a rap song like no other has before. The song beautifully states the society that we are in, where saying the word gay has become the norm, and ultimately how we shouldn’t treat people differently just because they don’t fit the mold that we have created. Featuring the great vocals of Mary Lambert, the song boldly goes where hip-hop never has before, and has earned him respect from millions gay or not. Well done Macklemore, well done.
Passenger- Let Her Go
This song is light, touching and amazing. Already big overseas, the band Passenger quietly hit the airwaves with this passionate song about love lost and the realization of wanting something only when you need it. Kind of Adult Contemporary with an edge. Definitely should be ones to look out for in 2014.
Who do you think should make this list? Check out more music artists on Manhattan Digest and let us know who was your favorite in 2013.