What's HOT South Florida :: 11/12 - 11/18

Hunters presented "The Best Little Whorehouse on Wilton Drive," which was their first turnabout and was a fundraiser for The SMART Ride. It was really fun seeing some of their masculine bartenders in drag!

On Thursday night, The Pride Center at Equality Park hosted their annual TransArt Exhibit, which featured the work of several trans artists. On Friday night, Poverello hosted a "Dine-Out" at Flash Fire Pizza in Fort Lauderdale that helped raise money for their charity. Also Friday night, Equality Florida, along with ArtsUnited, presented the VIP party for the opening of The Naughty Show at Tedd's Art Works on Dixie Highway.

Later that night we went down to South Beach to visit the Cabaret in its new home at the National Hotel, and it was as fabulous as ever. Congrats to Edison for moving this great concept to a beautiful location! Aferwards we went on over to Hotel Gaythering for their very popular Bears & Hares Friday Night Party, which as always was packed with bears and their admirers.

On Saturday afternoon, Rumors hosted a "Not-So-SMART-Ride" Big Wheels Championship with teams competing in their parking lot. The winning team received 30% of all the funds raised at the event, and all other proceeds were evenly divided between the remaining teams. Everyone was a winner; after all, they were raising money for a great cause!

On Saturday night, OutMiami hosted the Bowtie Bash at Building Co. in Brickell. The bash is the organization's largest annual fundraiser and proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction will be used to empower LGBT organizations that are making a difference. On Sunday, we went to Camelot in West Palm Beach for their T-Dance and to see hostess Daisy D and her guests perform. We also loved listening to the sounds of DJ Joshua Atom.

Thursday, November 12

Stonewall Author Presentation features "Celebrating the Heart of Cherry Grove and The Invasion of The Pines" by Lorraine Michels at the Stonewall National Museum - Wilton Manors Gallery (2157 Wilton Drive) at 7 pm. This event is free and open to the public with refreshments courtesy of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly. Signed copies will be available for sale. When photographer Lorraine Michels saw the amazing collection of photographs, playbills and memorabilia centered on happenings at the Cherry Grove Community House stored in the Cherry Grove archives she immediately thought, "This should be a book." Her concept started out as less than 50 pages but has blossomed into over 150 pages, which includes"spotlight" pages on many of the people who were so important to events at the Community House. Each decade also begins with a brief written history to put the photos in context with the times.

Friday, November 13

Twist presents "Black Out," where they invite you to dance to the music of DJ Michael Tank, but to beware of the dark!

Smarty Pants remembers one of Fort Lauderdale's most kind human beings, John W, with a dinner buffet at 5 pm, and a remembering showcase at 6 pm featuring Nikki Adams, Sally West, Alandra Matthews, Ms Fritz Ann and Robyn Swallows.

The South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble presents "30 Years of Pride" at 8 pm at the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at BrowardCenter.org or by calling the box office at 800-745-3000. For more info go to PrideWindEnsemble.org

Catch Jason Derulo performing at the Hard Rock Live. For tickets go to TicketMaster.com or charge by phone by calling 800-745-3000.

Saturday, November 14

Bayview Smile Design (2740 East Commercial Blvd) presents Free Dental Day with sign in beginning at 7 am day of event. Patients will be seen on a first come, first serve basis, and is for adults only. Procedures patients may choose from (you may only choose one) are: Single tooth extraction, single tooth filling, or a cleaning. For more information call 954-938-2447.

John Offerdahl's Broward Health Gridiron Grill-Off Food & Wine Festival takes place at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, 1806 NE 6 Street. The $85 Grand Grill-Off ticket will give attendees, 21 and older, the opportunity to sample delicious signature dishes created by Miami Dolphins legends and top local chefs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The $125 VIP ticket package will include a signed copy of Richman's book, as well as early access into the Grand Grill-Off starting at noon. To find out more and to purchase VIP and regularly-priced admission tickets, visit GridironGrillOff.com.

Multiple award-winning Maestra Sebrina Alfonso advances the Symphony into its 18th season with "And the Tony Goes to...", a salute to Tony Award-winning Broadway shows and songs, tonight, the 15, and the 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Key West. For more information go to: SouthFloridaSymphony.org

The SAGE Book Discussion Group will gather to read Hindoo Holiday: An Indian Journal by J.R. Ackerley from 11 am to noon at the Stonewall Library 1300 East Sunrise Boulevard. In the 1920s, the young J. R. Ackerley spent several months in India as the personal secretary to the maharajah of a small Indian principality. In his journals, Ackerley recorded the Maharajah's fantastically eccentric habits and riddling conversations, and the odd shambling day-to-day life of his court. Hindoo Holiday is an intimate and very funny account, and one of the masterpieces of twentieth-century travel literature. Ackerley was openly gay, a rarity in his time when homosexuality was forbidden by law and socially ostracized. For information, contact Philip (443) 614-7135 or Alan (561) 499-2913.

The Manor presents "China, a theme party" with DJ Daniel Kristopherre in the Ballroom. In the Ivy Lounge and Patio, Noche Latina Saturdays presents special guests Sasha Lords and Miss Continental Elite 2013, Kourtney Paige Van Wales. The Manor Satrudays features choreographed productions, novelty acts and beautiful dancers with doors open from 11 pm to 4 am with no cover before midnight and only $5 after midnight for members and $7 for non-members.

Sunday, November 15

The 13th annual Equality Florida Broward Gala takes place at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six from 6-9 pm. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased by going to EQFL.org/BrowardGala or by calling 813-870-3735. To find out about sponsorship opportunities that begin at only $500, email Row at [email protected] or call her at 305-335-2102.

Tuesday, November 17

The Greater Fort Lauderdale's Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce presents their November Mixer at Gallery One Fort Lauderdale (2670 East Sunrise Blvd) from 5:30-7:30 pm. Admission is complimentary to GFLGLCC members and only $10 for future members and includes oe Reyka Vodka drink and finger foods. No RSVP is required but encouraged by emailing [email protected]

This is HOT

Ellie Goulding has released her third studio album, "Delirium," on Cherrytree/Interscope Records. Delirium is the follow-up to 2012's "Halcyon," which cemented Goulding's status as a global artist.

The first taste of the album comes in new single "On My Mind." Delirium is the sound of an artist at the top of her game. "A part of me views this album as an experiment - to make a big pop album," she says. "I made a conscious decision that I wanted it to be on another level."

It has been a whirlwind few years for the singer from Herefordshire, England. Since the release of her debut "Lights" in 2010, she has sold over 20 million records worldwide, had six consecutive platinum US singles, won two Brit Awards and has video views and streams both in excess of one billion. This year's "Love Me Like You Do" single, meanwhile, was a worldwide Number One hitting the top spot in 70 countries and breaking the record for the most streamed song in one week. Some artists might be inhibited about where to go after such success, but Goulding had no doubts: Make everything bigger, better and braver.

Ellie worked with Max Martin, Greg Kurstin, One Republic's Ryan Tedder, Klas Ahlund and Disclosure's Guy Lawrence as well as long-time writing partner Jim Eliot. They have helped Goulding craft the defining album of her career, a jubilant and euphoric pop statement. Songs such as "Army," "On My Mind," "Don't Panic" and "Don't Need Nobody" are monumental anthems that retain a personal intimacy: Epic tracks with a heart and soul.

That balance is displayed most devastatingly on "Army," a track written about her best friend Hannah. The album features 16 tracks, with an additional six on the deluxe version. "Delirium" is the work of an artist who is seizing her moment, and has never sounded more assertive and in control.

Ellie Goulding keeps finding new levels to strive for.