Catching up with thebeardedguy.com

2009 handed out a lot of lemons, but one friend of ours turned his lemons into lemonade in such a unique and innovative way that we wanted to share his story. His name is Mitchell Koonce, and he is a Graphic Artist living
in San Francisco.

During 2009, Mitch became an unemployed Graphic Artist, and like many folks, spent lots of time trying unsuccessfully to land a new job in an economy gone mad.

After several months of searching, Mitch decided to strike out on his own and take charge of his destiny - and so thebeardedguy.com was born!

thebeardedguy.com offers a variety of t-shirts, tank tops and aprons that have been imprinted with messages that are meant to bring a smile to the face of anyone (with an open mind) who sees them. They’re fun, they’re irreverent, and they’re ever so gay (in a twisted sort of way)! In short, you’ll LOVE THEM!

A little bit more about Mitch...

Mitchell Koonce is a 42 year old gay man (with his two dogs, Peanut and Turkey) living in the beautiful city of San Francisco, CA. After years of creating mainstream graphics for middle America, he decided to create a line of t-shirts that were markedly different than anything he could find in most stores.

Although he’d constantly been told his ideas were “too far out of the box, or too aggressive” he decided that there was a niche for fun, silly, sexually-orientated designs intended for people who were not afraid of being or expressing their sexual practices on a simple t-shirt.

It all started after being laid-off. Because of the economic down-turn of the Bush years, work was difficult to find. With the help and support of friends, especially David Wilson, Mitch took the leap to start the bearded guy designs.

Launched in July of 2009, the bearded guy designs has become a retail destination for gay men, open-minded straight people and lovers of fun t-shirts...who just so happen to like funny, silly, sometimes a little offensive sayings and logos.

Mitch’s goals in life are actually pretty simple. Live life to its fullest, smile every day, take care of his little ones, love his friends and family, and hopefully make some people laugh a little in the process.

His products are not about brain surgery or solving the problems of the world. They’re just fun!


Want to see more? Visit thebeardedguy.com

2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival - LGBT Programming (and Weekend Weather forecast).

(....and on another note, did I mention that it's going to be sunny and in the mid-seventies all weekend? Time for your Winter Tan Update!)
 
LGBT Film Screenings:

Adrift (Vietnam)110 minutes (US Premiere)
Thursday, January 14, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Saturday, January 16, 4:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
A sensual story of tangled loves in modern Vietnam explores sexual awakening, lesbian desire and
marital infidelity.

 



Big Gay Musical (USA) 90 minutes
Saturday, January 09, 8:00 PM Camelot Theatres 1   
Tuesday, January 12, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Themes of love vs. sex, and featuring a real Broadway musical cast and a cameo by Michael Musto distinguish Big Gay Musical as an icon of the genre.

Brotherhood (Denmark)
90 minutes (US Premiere)
Saturday, January 16, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4  Sunday, January 17, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Former Danish servicemen Lars and Jimmy are thrown together while training in a neo-Nazi group… events take a darker turn when their illicit relationship is uncovered. Winner, Best Film, Rome Film Festival.


City of Borders (USA) 66 minutes
Wednesday, January 13, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre       

Friday, January 15, 11:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre
City of Borders documents Jerusalem’s gay community’s struggles to hold a gay pride celebration in the Holy City. Winner, Teddy Award, Berlin Film Festival.

Different From Whom? (Italy) 106 minutes
Tuesday, January 12, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Wednesday, January 13, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4          
Friday, January 15, 12:30 PM Regal Cinemas 7
A slapstick comedy about a handsome gay politician, paired with a conservative woman in a campaign for mayor—and an affair that shakes their lives.

Dzi Croquettes (Brazil) 95 minutes
Wednesday, January 13, 1:00 PM Camelot Theatres 2
Saturday, January 16, 10:00 AM Camelot Theatres 2
Sunday, January 17, 4:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
A revealing documentary about a Brazilian dance and theater group resembling an all-male, 1970s version of the Ziegfeld Follies.



Eyes Wide Open (Israel) 90 minutes
Friday, January 08, 4:30 PM Camelot 1
Sunday, January 10, 4:30 PM Annenberg Theater
Tuesday, January 12, 9:00 AM Annenberg Theater
A taboo-breaking drama about a married butcher who falls in love with a seductive younger man in Jerusalem’s insular ultra-orthodox community.

Gordos (Spain) 120 minutes
Tuesday, January 12, 7:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4          
Wednesday, January 13, 10:00 AM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Sunday, January 17, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Five people deal with the common difficulty of being overweight and soon become a tasty study about guilt, fear, love and passion.


Handsome Harry (USA) 95 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 7:00 PM Annenberg Theater        
Saturday, January 16, 5:00 PM Camelot Theatres 3           
A psychological mystery about lost love, forgiveness, and the stifling effect the “code of silence” has over men and their relationships.


I Killed my Mother (Canada) 100 minutes
Sunday, January 10, 8:00 PM Regal Cinemas 2/3
Saturday, January 16, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Sunday, January 17, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1         
A hilarious, corrosive and ultimately touching debut drama about a gay teen’s embattled relationship with his manipulative mother. Prize winner at Cannes last year.


Is it Just Me? (USA) 93 minutes (World Premiere)
Friday, January 15, 9:00 PM Regal Cinemas 1    
Saturday, January 16, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1    
Blaine stumbles upon what might be his perfect match in an online chat room—only to find that he’s been chatting to him under his go-go dancer roommate’s profile…


I Love You Phillip Morris (USA/France) 100 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 7:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1         
Friday, January 15, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1    
Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor are madly in love in this deliriously daring and hilariously entertaining story of a con man (Carrey) continually breaking out of jail to be with his man (McGregor).



La Mission (USA) 118 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 4:00 PM Annenberg Theater    
Friday, January 15, 1:00 PM Annenberg Theater        
Peter Bratt’s powerful and moving film is a love letter to the vibrancy and daily struggles of San Francisco’s Mission District.


Mediterranean Food (Spain) 102 minutes
Saturday, January 09, 9:00 AM Annenberg Theater       
Monday, January 11, 4:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1         
Wednesday, January 13, 12:00 PM Annenberg Theater           
A delightful romantic comedy prepared with the finest ingredients: a pure heart, a sexy cast and a lot of delectable haute cuisine. 


On These Shoulders We Stand (USA) 75 minutes
Friday, January 08, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre           
Saturday, January 09, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1          
A historical account of early gay life and activism in Los Angeles told by the people who lived it. Winner, Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom.







Paulista (Brazil) 83 minutes (World Premiere)
Friday, January 08. 6:30 PM Palm Canyon Theatre            
Saturday, January 09, 10:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre        
The story of three young people in search of love amid the frantic pace of São Paulo.


Plan B (Argentina) 103 minutes (US Premiere)
Tuesday, January 12, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre        
Wednesday, January 13, 10:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre
When conniving Bruno gets dumped by his girlfriend he decides to win her back by hook or by crook in this clever, witty comedy.


)To Die Like a Man (Portugal/France) 134 minutes          
Friday, January 15, 7:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1       
Saturday, January 16, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Transsexual cabaret star Tonia has it tough. Among all the other drama, her body is rejecting the surgical and hormonal transformations that made her famous.


The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls (New Zealand) 84 minutes (US Premiere)        
Thursday, January 14, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Saturday, January 16, 2:00 PM Regal Cinemas 2/3 
Sunday, January 17, 6:30 PM Regal Cinemas 7
Yodeling lesbian twins from New Zealand, Jools and Lynda Topp bring kooky Kiwi sense of humor, political potency and snazzy country music stylings.

Festival Box Offices are located at the Regal Cinemas Palm Springs Stadium 9, 789 Tahquitz Canyon Way or the Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road.

For a complete schedule as well as venue information and to purchase tickets, visit psfilmfest.org or call 800.898.PALM.

Celebrating the New Year...

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all human holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. Around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) and lasted for eleven days. In general, it would seem that the beginning of spring is a completely logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, and of planting new crops

Conversely, January 1st, the day we celebrate the New Year, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary and more closely associated with the mid-winter celebrations of ancient Northern European tribes.

Traditional Foods for New Year’s Day (at least as far as we're concerned)....


Cooked Greens: Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard,
are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. It's widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger one's fortune next year.  


New Year's Day 2010, we had mustard greens and spicy swiss chard (homegrown)

Legumes (Black-eyed peas, red beans and navy beans in this case): Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seed-like appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind.

In the Southern United States (where I grew up), it's traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cowpeas in a dish called hoppin' john (which means served over rice and topped with chopped green onions).

New Year's Day 2010, we had barbecued black-eyed peas partnered  with red beans and navy (white) beans.


Pork: The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast suckling pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria.

Pork is also consumed in the United States, where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity. New Year's Day 2010, we had roast pork, cooked with a combination of onion, beef and chicken stock.

Rice: A traditional good luck food in Asian Cultures, rice is on our menu today purely as an accompaniment to the legumes. Still, we can give it an “unofficial” nod as a good luck food for New Year’s Day celebrations, due to its significance as a top food source throughout the world.