Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

Party Pics: 2015 Emery Awards

Chris Salgardo (President of Kiehl's USA), HMI CEO Thomas Krever, Teddy & Melissa Sears

Hetrick-Martin  Institute  (HMI),  the  nation’s  oldest  and  largest  LGBTQ youth  service  organization,  held  its   2015  Emery  Awards  annual  gala  on  Tuesday, November 17 at 6pm at Cipriani Wall Street. This year’s theme was “The Future”. The annual event  honors  individuals  and  organizations  that  exemplify  HMI’s  mission  of  providing  a safe and supportive environment for all young people regardless of their sexual orientation
or gender identity.

Hosted  by  Tamron  Hall,  co-host  of  the  third  hour  of  NBC  News’  TODAY  and  anchor  of MSNBC’s  MSNBC Live,  this  year’s  HMI  Emery  Awards  honored  executive  producer and host of “Watch What Happens Live”, Andy Cohen, Chris Salgardo (President, Kiehl’s USA), and the 2014-2015 Broadway production of Hedwig and The Angry Inch.

The evening featured Tony Award winner Lena Hall performing a tributary homage to the much beloved and world-renowned musical phenomenon. The Emery Awards recognizes individuals and organizations who demonstrate outstanding leadership within the LGBTQ community and those who work to address some of the most critical issues affecting HMI youth, namely the prevention  of  HIV/AIDS,  housing  and  homelessness  support,  education, and  health & wellness.

As an active supporter of a huge range of LGBTQ causes and charities, and the only openly gay talk show host on late night television, Andy Cohen is the epitome of an overarching role  model  to  LGBTQ  youth.  His  distinguished  career  and  dedication  to  the  community demonstrates  unequivocally  that thriving  professionally  and  personally  as  an  openly  gay man in this world is well within reach.

Through  personal  dedication  and  persistence  on  multiple  fronts,  Kiehl’s  Since  1851 USA President and  MANMADE  author  Chris Salgardo  is  an  undeniable  voice  and  advocate  for progress.  He  has  led  the  beauty  industry  toward  not  only  allowing,  but  also  generating supportive  and  creative  ways  to  further  propel  our  society’s  movement  toward  full equality. Actor and LifeRider Teddy Sears presented his award.

Itself a story of transformation and self-discovery, paralleling a major part of the work done by HMI, the 2014 –  2015  Broadway  production  of Hedwig & The Angry Inch raised  $590,000 for the organization. This generous act of love follows in the show’s creative team’s footsteps of a long history  of  contributing  to  HMI, through  the  2003 Tribute  album  “Wig  in a  Box”. For  this substantial contribution to HMI’s funding, they received special recognition.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/HetrickMartin

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Party Pics: Wholeness of Life

glassman, speyer, schoen, hall

A tradition for nearly three decades, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network’s Wholeness of Life Gala is an annual event that gives voice to spiritual care. It brings their cause center stage while bringing together health care professionals, patients, family members, and others who care about this aspect of overall wellness.

HCCN takes this opportunity to recognize deserving individuals who have made enormous strides on an everyday basis or throughout a lifetime in providing compassionate care to people in the throes of a health care crisis or with other needs. The Lifetime Achievement Honorees and Patient Care Honorees accept this distinction at the event.

For HCCN, the Wholeness of Life Gala represents the single largest source of awareness-raising and revenue-raising, enabling them to continue their mission to advance the integration of spiritual care in health care through clinical practice, research and education in order to improve the patient experience and help people faced with illness and grief find comfort and meaning–whoever they are, whatever they believe, wherever they are.

This year’s gala was held on November 5, 2015 at the Mandarin Oriental, NY. For more information visit http://www.hccngala.org/

 

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Not Making Love At Workplace

notmakinglove

Poems And Images From St Barth For Night Reading

Authored by Alen J Salerian MD

Seemingly unrelated poems and paintings may soothe your mind and let sleep take over your brain.

It’s not a single word or color, it is their synergy, their joint hypnotic effect that distinguishes this unusual poem-painting combination from other artistic work.

They have power. They have punch. They may make you think and imagine. II suggest one poem a night; if you digest too many they may trouble you.

Order from https://www.createspace.com/5863227

This fascinating little book will also be available from Amazon soon.

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Dr. Dabber Ghost

dabberghost

For years the team behind Dr Dabber Vaporizer Pens & Vape Accessories has searched high and low for the ultimate vaping device experience. An experience that minimizes health risks without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor. Although many novel concepts were available, none were able to achieve the perfect balance they were looking for. So, they set out on a mission to create the ideal Vaporizer Pen.

Dr Dabber is a Premium Vaporizer Pen / Vape Pen

Says the product website, “We wanted to create a portable vaporizer that was convenient and reliable, yet potent and effective. A vaporizer pen that was stylish enough to use anywhere but stealthy enough to keep a low profile. Something that wasn’t just a novelty, but a justifiable replacement for all other vaporizing methods. We wanted to change the way people enjoy their essential oils.”

See the ghost kit at https://www.drdabber.com/collections/vaporizers/products/ghost-kit

 

 

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Wearbands

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Wearbands® is a resistance band training system the allows you to perform any movement at any speed, anywhere, while under full-time variable resistance.  You can wear your own shoes, or no shoes at all, and receive a low-impact, purely functional resistance workout as your body naturally moves.

Here’s how you wear it:

wearing-the-wearbands-system1

See more and purchase at https://wearbands.com/

 

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Party Pics: Vivarte

DSC_8675 Maria Eugenia Maury, Mercedes Hernandez, Maria Emma Mejia

VivArte participating organizations Caring for Colombia, First Step Big Step, and Primero Lo Primero hosted a cocktail reception and silent auction to celebrate Colombian contemporary art in support of Colombian early childhood programs on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at PHILLIPS.

VivArte is a joint philanthropic effort to empower and transform the lives of vulnerable children in Colombia, while giving international visibility to a select group of Colombian artists. This dual mission seeks to shape the social reality on the ground and broaden cultural perceptions of Colombia worldwide. Funds raised during the auctions will directly benefit early childhood programs in areas of extreme poverty in Colombia.

The silent and public auction showcased works by thirty-one Colombian artists in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, works on paper, embroidery, photography and animation. 11 of the 14 VivArte works in the public auction sold for a total net profit of $242,912.50, which will directly benefit early childhood programs in Colombia. Records were set for six artists: Olga de Amaral ($449,000), Fanny Sanin ($50,000), Santiago Parra ($15,000), Johanna Calle ($10,000), Monika Bravo ($9,000) and Humberto Junca ($8,750) as well as setting an auction precedent for Ivan Argote ($9,375).

Highlights included works by recent award winning artists such as Carlos Motta, recipient of the Future Generation Art Prize 2014, awarded by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation; Juan Fernando Herrán, recipient of the 2014 Prix Pictet, the global award in photography and sustainability; Fanny Sanin, whose work is currently the subject of a retrospective at the Museo Nacional in Bogotá; Monika Bravo and Carlos Castro Arias, whose work is now on view at the Venice Biennale and Bienal de Mercosur, respectively.

Guests included: Founders of VivArte, Mercedes Fernandez and Genevieve Maquinay Deseglise; donating artists Fanny Sanin, Monika Bravo, Santiago Parra and Adriana Echavarria; host committee members Tony Bechara, Julian Iragorri, Christophe Janet, Isabelle Kowal & François Odermatt, Laura Laurence, Javier Lumbreras, Violy McCausland, Beatriz de la Mora, María Isabel Nieto, Leon Tovar; Curators Liz Christensen, Julia Herzberg and Monica Espinel, and many more.

The participating Artists included Olga de Amaral, Ivan Argote, Natalia Arias, Monika Bravo, Johanna Calle, Natalia Castañeda, Jaime Castellanos, Carlos Castro Arias, Fernando Cruz, Adriana Echavarría, Gonzalo Fuenmayor, Jaime Franco, Ana González Rojas, Manuel Hernández, Juan Fernando Herrán, Humberto Junca, Alberto Lezaca, Luz Angela Lizarazo, Adriana Marmorek, Carlos Motta, Jorge Mario Múnera Edgar Negret, Santiago Parra, Luis Fernando Peláez, Esteban Peña, Ruby Rumie, Luis Alejandro Saiz, Fanny Sanin, Gabriel Silva, Giovanni Vargas and Hugo Zapata.

The Event Sponsors included: ArtNexus, Aviatur, Bombay Sapphire, Citrico Inc., Diego Salazar Antique Frames, Dietl International, Horizon Asset Management, Martini Prosecco, Morgan Stanley, New York Life, Prodigy Network, Servex Colombia, Tata Harper Skincare and Tiffany & Co.

 

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Flamous

All-natural Sprouted Multigrain - Front and Back

Flamous Falafel Chips – They’re Famous For Flavor!

Flamous Brands all-natural falafel chips will bring flavor to your holiday. This non-GMO, gluten-free snack is made with high-quality ingredients that have turned Flamous chips into a mouth-watering, delicious and nationally recognized brand.

Grab a few bags for your holiday party because there’s really no other chip that goes better with your favorite dip. And for those of you who are making New Year’s resolutions to gethealthy, Flamous Brand falafel chips will make it much easier for you to stick with your clean eating goals. The All-Natural Original Falafel Chips are a top choice for snackers of all ages.

All-Natural Original Falafel Chips are now crunchier, thinner and just as flavorful as the organic older sister. They come in brand new eye-catching packaging. The All-Natural Original Falafel Chips are made of non-GMO whole corn, whole beans, turmeric, vegetables and sea salt. This should be your first choice when it comes to pairing anything with hummus.

Every chip is made with 21 herbs, vegetables, spices and legumes which is why Flamous is considered the “blackjack” of all chips. The 21 ingredients makes them 10 times more rich in antioxidants than green tea or vegetable juice. They are also free of most allergens. FlamousBrands takes a lot of pride in creating chips that are:

  • Non-GMO Verified
  • Certified Gluten-Free
  • Certified Vegan
  • Certified Kosher

For more information visit http://www.flamousbrands.com/home

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Ultimate Cigar Book

Ultimate Cigar Book 9781632206572

SEND THE HOLIDAY SEASON UP IN CIGAR SMOKE

Don’t Give Him a Tie He’ll Never Wear—The Newest Edition of The Ultimate Cigar Book Unveils a 150-Year-Old Holiday Tradition That Will Last All Year

Ever since the 1850s, when cigars became popular in America, they have been associated with the holidays—a time for relaxing and rejoicing with friends. And what better way to celebrate than with a hand-rolled stogie and a favorite libation? It calms the nerves, aids digestion, and stimulates conversation.

“A single cigar makes a perfect stocking stuffer, and a gaily wrapped box of cigars under the tree is the adult equivalent of getting an electric train set when you were a boy,” says Richard Carleton Hacker, author of the new fourth edition of The Ultimate Cigar Book (Skyhorse Publishing; ISBN 978-1-63220-657-2; ON SALE NOW).

Because cigars were originally reserved for the wealthy, they became a symbol of success and have since evolved into the perfect Yuletide gift for men (and women) from all walks of life.

“You don’t have to be a millionaire to feel like one, when you’re smoking a premium cigar,” says Hacker.

The Ultimate Cigar Book describes virtually every cigar in the world and is full of facts and trivia, such as Thomas R. Marshall’s famous quote, “What this country really needs is a good five cent cigar,” or Mark Twain’s proclamation that “If I can’t smoke in Heaven, then I shall not go!” The book also compares Cuban cigars with those from other countries, including the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and answers a multitude of questions encompassing cigar history, making, and storage. Keep the band on or take it off? Can you humidify a cigar that has dried out? How do you clip and light a cigar? All are answered in The Ultimate Cigar Book. There is even a chapter on pairing cigars with single malts, bourbons, and cognacs. And lastly, there are tips and guides where you can buy percolator bongs for the filtration to take a step further and creates the smoothest hits of all.

Indeed, The Ultimate Cigar Book is the ultimate gift for the ultimate cigar smoker this holiday season.

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Party Pics: #TGIT lineup

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - NOVEMBER 14: (L-R) Actresses Portia de Rossi, Katie Lowes, wearing MaxMara, and Kerry Washington attend 'MaxMara & Allure Celebrate ABC's #TGIT' at MaxMara on November 14, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Max Mara)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – NOVEMBER 14: (L-R) Actresses Portia de Rossi, Katie Lowes, wearing MaxMara, and Kerry Washington attend ‘MaxMara & Allure Celebrate ABC’s #TGIT’ at MaxMara on November 14, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Max Mara)

Max Mara and Allure host ABC stars and executives gathered at the Max Mara boutique in Beverly Hills to celebrate the hair, makeup, and wardrobe teams of the #TGIT ShondaLand family.

Scandal cast members included Kerry Washington, Darby Stanchfield, Katie Lowes, Portia De Rossi, executive producer Shonda Rhimes and more. How to Get Away with Murder stars Liz Weil and Charlie Webber were also in attendance as well as Exectuive Producer Betsy Beers and creator and EP of HTGAWM, Pete Nowalk. Greys Anatomy stars Camilla Luddington, Jessica Capshaw, Justin Chambers and Kelly McCreary were also there.

Max Mara is regularly featured within all #TGIT ShondaLand shows, specifically through the portrayal of key characters played by Kerry Washington, Darby Stanchfield and Bellamy Young from Scandal as well as Viola Davis, Aja Naomi King, and Carla Souza from How to Get Away with Murder. From classic yet modern ready-to-wear pieces to accessories, quintessential Max Mara pieces reinforce each character’s signature style.

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Party Pics: Dream Project

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A star-studded benefit was held on November 12 for the Dream Project.

Major League Baseball All-Star Robinson Cano was honored for his exceptional work supporting Dominican youth through his RC22 Foundation.

Sueños 2015 was presented by Latin GRAMMY Award winning singer Henry Santos and Latin GRAMMY nominated singer and Bachata sensation Leslie Grace, who have become Ambassadors of DREAM’s impactful programs.

We are sharing some of the great photos taken by Marvin Technolasko.

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Dark Horse 2014 Pinot Noir

At Dark Horse Wine, we wholeheartedly believe that fortune favors the bold.

-Dark_Horse_2014_California_Pinot_Noir_750ml

Winemaker Beth Liston marshals the best agricultural and winemaking resources from around the globe to deliver the unexpected: a bold wine that outperforms its price.

Our Pinot Noir is fruit forward with flavors of fresh red cherry and strawberry that are complemented by hints of rose and lavender. The light notes of molasses help lift the fruit and floral character. This Pinot Noir offers a balanced palate with a velvety mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness.

The grapes for this wine were selected from premier California vineyards by our Winemaker Beth Liston. Throughout the 2014 growing season, Beth visited these vineyards daily to determine which blocks would make it to the final blend. In 2014, Beth noted it was a dry and warm year, making canopy management key to allow just the right amount of sunlight on the berries, resulting in an ideal balance of flavor and acidity in the glass.

The grapes for our Pinot Noir were harvested at optimum ripeness, leading to an early extraction of rich color and velvety tannins during fermentation. Beth fermented this wine at warmer temperatures up to 92°F for more intense flavors and fruit-driven aromatics. After fermentation, all lots underwent malolactic fermentation and were aged on oak to add complexity and balance.

See more at http://www.darkhorsewine.com/

 

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Piñon Coffee

Coffee-Lovers Box

Twenty years ago, New Mexico Piñon Coffee Company started with the original owner roasting coffee out of the back of his classic red pickup truck. Today, New Mexico Piñon Coffee is the largest coffee roaster in the state of New Mexico, roasting over 800,000 pounds of coffee per year.

Their products can be found in just about every grocery store in New Mexico as well as some grocery chains nationwide. As they grow, they are still family-owned and operated, dedicated to excellent customer service.

Each order you place is made fresh in the factory and usually ships within 24 hthes.
As the name implies, the coffee is made with a unique mixing of piñon (picked here in the southwest), a multi-bean blend of the finest high-altitude Arabica coffee, and custom flavoring. The coffees are hand-roasted in small batches under the watchful supervision of the master roasters to assure quality, flavor, and aroma.

The result? A rich, medium/dark coffee with a smooth nutty flavor.

Aside from the original piñon coffee, they offer over 50 flavors including the own locally inspired and unique flavors of Biscochito and Mexican Spiced Chocolate as well as a specialty line of New Mexico Favorites. These favorites evoke the “Land of Enchantment” with a variety of roasts and subtle flavors.

New Mexico Pinon Coffee also offers a selection of delicious foods, spices, and salsas that are made in New Mexico.

For more information visit https://nmpinoncoffee.com

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