Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 335– September 27, 2017

BY SHAUN MELADY
@ShaunMelady
stories / GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
Balls, Balls
and More Balls
Caught your attention, right? Well good,
and you’re kind of right by what you’re
thinking, except this is a tamer and PGrated
version. These big balls that I am
referring to are volleyballs, ya nasties.
Before I moved up to this amazing city,
I played volleyball on my high school’s
team, then graduated to competitive
beach volleyball and following that was
college. Once I
graduated, there
wasn’t much
playing that
happened, if
you know what I
mean. Seriously,
I’m talking only
about the game.
Get your minds
out of the gutter.
After around my
first month here
in this pacesetting
city, I
was prancing
my happy ass
around Central
Park, sporting
my “Sorry for
Partying” tank
top and trying
to get into a New York shape of mind
(that was not a typo, don’t worry). As I
was pouring down sweat and panting
for dear life, I noticed balls bouncing up
and down in the background of a field
that I was across from. Yes, you heard me
right. Right in the middle of the park were
volleyballs bouncing up and down on
concrete courts facing the skyline of the
best city in the world! What else did you
think I meant?
Typical me, I jogged over and asked if
they were playing pick-up games, and
they politely invited me in to join. Super
sweet of them! As I was playing, I found
out that this was a gay volleyball league
with a membership count of around
5,000, and I could just not stop smiling.
I should’ve guessed it was a gay league
when I saw one of the players, now friend,
wearing Andrew Christian underwear that
was popping out over his athletic shorts,
but that’s beside the point.
The reason why it was
so great was because
when I lived in Florida,
it was like pulling teeth
to get people to play
my favorite sport (aka
volleyball), and there
already weren’t a ton of
momos that played in
my city. So, this was just
serendipitous. They
welcomed me in and
offered the bountiful
food that they had at
this picnic they were
hosting, and me, not
wanting to look like
a heifer in front of
these guys, of course
declined.
I later found out that
the league is called
Gotham Volleyball and became friends
with many of the members. They have
been inviting me to play in various
tournaments and pick-up games, and,
of course, I have been attending. Even
enough to the point where I joined the
volleyball league this past weekend - and
made the team. Holla!
Honestly, this city just keeps getting
better and better. Especially now, since
volleyball has spiked its way back into this
momo’s life.
Go. Yay. Rah!

Visit www.squirt.org
to hook up today

PHOTO BY STEVE BRENNAN
stories
GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
Smile
With Your Eyes
BY IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@ianmichaelinwonderland
After referring to myself as a
“columnist” for about a year,
I got a call from a friend of
mine who works at Time Out
magazine.
“We’re doing a cover of
Queer Voices,” she told me.
“Just a bunch of Polaroids,
maybe 20 or so, taking
up the whole cover. I told
the artistic director to get
in contact with you.” She
emailed me later that day,
and I went in the next week
to have my picture taken.
Time Out’s headquarters in
Times Square was packed
with fellow queers - writers
and musicians and drag
queens and the like. I
noticed Justin Tyler Angel
there, a nightlife personality
I became friends with when
we were both hosts at
Cafeteria Restaurant.
B for “Bergeron” was at
the top of their list. I felt
amazing: my hair, red at
the time, was freshly dyed
and vibrant, my skin was
clear and glowing, and I
was wearing a beautiful new
floral mesh top from Theory.
They took two Polaroids,
one from the front and one
at a slight right angle. They
showed me the photos
before I left: I looked
fantastic. “Thank you so
much!” the photographer
smiled at me. “The cover
should be up in a few
weeks.”
I told everyone I was going
to be on the cover. “It’s a
‘Queer Voices’ issue, and
there’s gonna be like 20
Polaroids on the cover, and
I’m one of them,” I told
anyone who would listen.
I felt like being recognized
made it real: I am a Queer
Voice. I am a columnist in
New York City. I am a writer.
The morning the issue came
out, I got a text from my
friend at Time Out. It just
said “I’m so sorry.”
Without responding, I
jumped out of bed, threw on
the first pair of sweatpants
I could find (they were
covered in the Pusheen Cat
eating different foods), and
rushed to the nearest street
cart vendor that had Time
Out magazine.
I searched the cover:
There were at least 30
polaroids on it. Certainly my
photo couldn’t have been
overlooked; It was perfect.
Did I really not make the
cut?
Then I saw it: My vibrant red
hair, duller in print, and my
eyes, peering out over the
TIME OUT magazine logo in
the upper left-hand corner. I
hadn’t been cut - I had been
covered. The bottom of the
Polaroids all had our names
on them. Mine, like most of
my face, was covered.
I stood there in my Pusheen
Cat sweatpants, holding the
magazine, feeling stupid.
Maybe, I assured myself, this
was just a Carrie Bradshaw
moment - a much less
embarrassing “Forty and
Fabulous?” ordeal.
Or, more realistically, it
was a Mike Wazowski
moment, and I was just an
embarrassing little green
monster covered by a
magazine’s barcode.
Whatever the case, I kept
the magazine and framed
it on my wall. It keeps me
humble.

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CONTRIBUTORS
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EILEEN SHAPIRO
IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
ISSUE 335 - SEPTEMBER 27 2017
Cover: James Giraldo
Photo by: RICK STOCKWELL @RICKSTOCKWELL

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“The service and
food exceeded our
expectations..”
www.Travesiasnyc.com
@travesias_nyc
(718) 828-3834
3834 E Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10465

GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
INTERVIEW BY AMANDA CELESTINO
BRIAN
MARTINEZ
A Bronx Entrepreneur With Style
Bronx-based entrepreneur Brian Martinez has quickly
created a food and lifestyle hub in New York City,
having opened five inventive business concepts in
just two short years, adding his unique flavor and
style to the Bronx and Queens.
Martinez jokes that he was “made in the Dominican
Republic but raised in the Bronx”; he credits his
savvy business ideas to his Bronx and Dominican
roots and his fervent love for travel - embracing
recipes, garb and style from his many trips around
the world.
Martinez attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse.
It was there that he first flexed his leadership muscle
by founding the first New York chapter of the Latino
fraternity Lambda Sigma Upsilon. After graduating,
he moved back to his beloved Bronx, where he
became involved in supporting and uplifting
his community with fundraising, mentoring and
community service.
He remains dedicated to his community and
continues to use his ingenuity to grow and evolve his
brand in New York City. I spoke to Martinez about his
Latino heritage, love for the Bronx, entrepreneurship
and what the future holds.
PHOTO BY RICHARD ROSARIO
CURRENT BUSINESSES:
Travesias - 3834 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465
La Parada Pit Stop - 3830 E. Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10465
The Bronx Barber Shop - 794 Hunts Point Ave., Bronx, NY 10474
Fresco’s Cantina - 12-14 31st Ave., Astoria, NY 11106
The Coffee Break Company - 3217 Philip Ave., Bronx, NY 10465
How did you first get interested
in the food service industry?
Did you always want to be a
restaurateur?
My first job was actually at
McDonald’s! I worked there
through high school and college
and really appreciated the
learning experience. I learned a
lot about customer service and
cross-training - the fundamentals
of business. I also helped one of
my aunts who owned a restaurant.
I’ve always liked the hospitality
industry. From there, I started my
own consulting business and really
learned the restaurant business
- marketing, social media, how it
all runs.
Does your Latino heritage
play a role in your business?
I’m very proud to be Latino, and
I’ve always wanted to serve as an
example or role model for others.
That’s a part of my motivation;
everything I do, I don’t do it just
for personal gain, I do it for those
that look up to me. I didn’t want
to be a statistic or stereotype.
I grew up in Hunts Point, which
was one of the worst parts of
the Bronx, and I don’t believe
you have to be a product of your
environment - you can break out
of that shell. You just need the
right motivation and people to
show you the way.
You’re a driving force! What
about being part of the
LGBT community - has that
affected who you are as an
entrepreneur?
All my businesses are obviously
very gay-friendly, but a lot of my
staff at Travesias and Fresco’s
Cantina are gay. I try to give
everybody an opportunity. Also,
for the last two years, I [Travesias
Restaurant] sponsored the mayor’s
LGBT Pride reception. It’s about
being a part of a community:
supporting them, they support
me.
You’ve managed to accomplish
so much so quickly. What do you
see yourself doing next?
Just continue to create new
concepts and ideas. I’ll go where
the opportunities are.