Things that we’re really loving this week. Our pick of some of the best books, beauty, style and home gadgets going.
Wavey by Feryl
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Looking for the perfect summer chillout banger then look no further than the new release by out singer-songwriter, Feryl. Normally you’d find Feryl bombing around the country performing at dozens of prides, but fret not you can still get your piece of Feryl goodness no matter what the lockdown situ is.
Available to download and stream from all good digital retailers / platforms.
Stoli Vodka Harvey Milk Limited Edition
One of the gay community’s most enduring icons gets his very own limited edition Stoli Vodka. The bottle has been specially designed to celebrate the life of the trailblazer Harvey Milk. It really is a stunning homage to a man who is a legend.
The limited-edition bottle is a part of Stoli’s “Stoli Serves Pride” program, the brand platform dedicated to the LGBT+ equality movement. Stoli Serves Pride celebrates individuals and organisations central to advancing diversity and originality within the LGBT+ community.
The Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle is now available in Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose stores around the UK.
VO5 Thickening Powder
Feeling a little thin on top? Then look no further than this little miracle bottle from VO5. We’re living for the extra volume and fuller feel of our locks thanks to this matt finish, thickening powder. Simply shake on, rub in and feel the thickness.
You won’t even know it’s there as the formula has been created to provide an invisible, natural matt finish.
One of the biggest challenges facing our planet right now is the unbelievable amount of plastic there is. Since the 1950s over 8.3 million tonnes of the stuff has been created and it’s not going ANYWHERE. Plastic is ending up in our oceans, littering our countrysides and ultimately ending up into our food chain. It’s really not good.
You can cut your plastic consumption in small, but significant ways, for instance using the beautifully crafted and rather striking Ohelo Classic 500ml stainless steel bottle. Plus, by filling it up at home with your favourite hot or cold beverage you’ll also be saving your money. It’s a win-win.
Superby at keeping your hot drinks hot and your cool drink cold.
Like the 205 before it, though not a direct replacement for which it turned into being was like the 205 before it, much needed. Desperately needed to be frank. Peugeot had shot themselves in the foot by not having a suitable 205 replacement ready.
I was there to see the launch at the NEC. A kind Peugeot PR allowed me to climb over the fence and tickle the 206 Escapade models faux-suede bumper coverings. A car that was launched to the world the same time as Ford unveiled their outrageous Focus. Competition was fierce.
The 206 was as far removed from the new design language used by Ford for the Focus as could be possible and by Peugeot themselves. This was a new age for the dancing lion of Sochaux-Montbeliard. Penned by Pininfarina, the 206 was a very attractive car then and now. Unlike monstrosity that Peugeot designed in-house called the 307. The rear quarter of the 206 was also reminiscent of that from the 205. A great car that saved Peugeot from the depths of hell.
Speaking of that rear pillar treatment, its language made it onto the 5 door model too which was not the case with the 5 door 205. However, what Peugeot did on the 206 SW was unforgivable. They fitted really cheap feeling door handles hidden in the door frame to give it coupe-like lines in a box body. The SW was no shooting break like a Scimitar GTE famously owned by Princess Ann or TGUK’s previous motoring editor Alan Taylor-Jones (Tell him on Twitter about Ann’s connection with the GTE at @alantaylorjones. He loves to hear it) That cock-up still haunts me today on what might have been an otherwise perfect car in all its guises.
But we can forget the 206 SW because there were 2 models that were the main talking points for the 206. The stylish CC with its folding metal roof. Stylish that is if you ignored the convoluted boot top and bugger bars on top of it. What that was all about no one actually knew or could tell you about. Even the pressmen couldn’t tell you.
Another amazing thing about the 206 was it was just a little bit nice on the inside. Ignore the over grooved grainy plastics and the cabin was quite fresh looking. The electric window switches didn’t quite come to hand and you needed to look for them but nothings perfect.
In all its model guises had something to suit everyone.
Handling was high on the agenda and no matter what 206 you bought, it could always prove fun no matter what engine you chose from the long list of available engines to suit. From a light 1.1 petrol to a torque packed turbo diesel, the 206 in all its model guises had something to suit everyone. Everyone that is except the hot hatch driver. The 206 GTi was vaguely luke warm and even the GTi 180 with its big 17” alloys and bucket style seats was still somewhat off the pace by the pack leaders from VW and Ford.
But all this was forgotten when it came to the world rally championship and the rally weapon that was the 206 WRC. This was a super-compact car that stormed its way up the rally charts like the 205 before it. To add to the excitement for us Brits was the late Richard Burns (1971 – 2003 ) who would regularly bring home the points for Peugeot. The 206 WRC had big boots to fill and it filled them well. What it didn’t fill were the bumpers. On the road car, they looked good. On the rally car, they were enlarged to accommodate rally things so Peugeot decided to make a road-going rally special that you could buy. It was a standard 206 with the rally car bumpers. It looked a little Jimmy Hill as a result and it did not look like the rally car even with the optional rally pack of decals.
The Peugeot 206 falls into two camps on the GBU. If like me and you can’t look at the SW and CC without wincing well there are things you can do. For the SW, burn those door handles with a blow torch and the CC, strap a wicker basket to the boot like an old MGB.
The Peugeot 206 HATCHBACK. A good car that still looks good today. Trouble is because it’s had so many reinventions like Madonna around the world that no one at Peugeot actually knows if it’s still being made or not. You might still be able to buy them new for all Peugeot know!
Suzuki’s entry in the adventure bike fraternity is the V-Strom, previously also known as the DL.
This latest 2020 incarnation is known as the 1050.
It’s a 1000cc v-twin adventure-tourer although actually, it’s a 1037cc v-twin.
This is a good engine that has been around for a while now, first making an appearance in the TL1000R in 1997, a legendary bike. It also featured in the SV1000 which was a surprisingly good bike. A friend of mine had an SV1000. He fell off it in front of us all once, wheelying it. His excuse was he had just polished it and the seat was slippery.
Now, the engine takes pride of place in the V-Strom 1050, making 106bhp and 100Nm torque. This is an increase of around 6bhp on last year. Peak power is now at 8,500 rpm and peak torque is at 6,000 rpm, which is 2,000 rpm higher up the rev range than the previous model.
Suzuki has played with things like the cam timing and pushed the torque further up the rev range which makes this new incarnation of the V-Strom a lot of fun.
There’s a 6-speed gearbox but no fancy quick shifter. There is a slipper clutch of sorts thanks to Suzuki Clutch Assist System (SCAS) which also makes the clutch very light in operation.
The throttle is fly by wire and is very smooth. I didn’t experience any snatchy or jerky behaviour, it’s very polished, which leads us nicely into the electronics. There are a host of sensors, from lean angle sensors to crank sensors, wheel speed sensors, gear position sensors, gyroscopic sensors and more, which provide information for the various electronic systems on the bike. This information is used by systems such as the ABS and traction control.
You can choose between 3 rider modes, 3 traction control settings and 2 ABS settings. You can’t actually turn ABS off which may be an issue for more serious off-roading, but honestly, this is probably more of a touring bike than a hardcore adventure bike.
The suspension is 43mm, USD, fully adjustable KYB forks, and a KYB shock with rebound and preload, which all works very well, the suspension is great. There’s also a remote preload adjuster just behind your left thigh, great for adding some preload if you’re carrying a pillion.
It’s surprisingly fast when you consider it only has 106bhp, and there’s a satisfying rush of power in the upper rev range. It’s great fun to ride.
Brakes are excellent with 310mm discs at the front with four-pot radial callipers and outback is a 260mm disc with a single-piston calliper. They offer great feel and really are superb brakes.
At 247 kg it’s not a featherweight but it carries the weight well. Pushing around the workshop it felt pretty big, but as soon as you are on the move, the weight disappears. On the move, the V-Strom 1050 feels agile and handles really well.
I’m a fan of the old V-Strom, I remember I had one on test in 2018 and loved it. I even took one around Bruntingthorpe which was fun, scraping the pegs on a V-Strom on track.
The range is a positive attribute with this bike. Suzuki has fitted it with a 20L tank. When I picked the bike up, it was full and the range was showing as 201 miles. With just under half a tank left, the range was showing as 99 miles.
Overall, this is a great bike. It’s fun, it’s pretty fast and it handles really well. It’s comfortable enough to be able to ride long distance with no trouble too.
If there was a criticism, it would only be that the V-Strom lacks some of the toys that some of the heavyweights in the adventure bike sector have; electronic suspension and the like.
Things that we’re really loving this week. Our pick of some of the best books, beauty, style and home gadgets going.
Umbrella Academy
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
We read somewhere on Twitter, someone calling the new season of Netflix’s Umbrella Academy even better than the first – and while the jury is still out on that for us, it is undeniable that Netflix has a hit on its hands with this new superhero franchise. This season gets pretty gay as well, with two of the “7” getting their own same-sex love story. Cute. Oh and the campest, vampest villainess we’ve seen since Cruella and Ursula.
Umbrella Academy season two is now streaming on Netflix.
BABE Rosé with bubbles
What’s not to love about Rosé, that’s bubbly and served chilled in a can. It screams soo-fis-tee-cation… BABERosé With Bubbles is a canned alcohol beverage created by the world-famous influencer, The Fat Jew, Josh Ostrovsky – totes perfect for a heatwave.
We’ll leave you with these famous words, printed on the side of each can, which has now become legend around these parts…
Soft doesn’t even come close to describing these incredible undies from SOCKSHOP. These trunk-style underwear are made with bamboo fibres, which are non-irritating and help keep the boys down there fresher and drier for longer – which, let’s face it, is very welcome in these heatwave times. Plus, £11.99 for three pairs is a steal.
Within two minutes of erecting our Henry Bell Heavy Duty Bird Feeder, we had our first guest. Honestly, the TGUK garden has become a hive of activity. I don’t know about you, but in these troubling times, finding moments of joy are becoming so difficult, turning off our phones, disconnecting from the Internet and watching the birds – is free and it’s completely relaxing (and dare we say it, more entertaining than the drivel you’ll find on social media) after all, birds are the original Tweeters!
The Henry Bell Heavy Duty Feeder is rugged and feels solid (it’s made from aluminium, it’s easy to clean and offers the birdies lots of perch space and costs just £9.99.
Products are available nationwide in 150+ garden centres and online (such as Dobbies), pet shops and mainstream retailers.
I’ve always used full-face helmets, and always sports bike/race style lids. Open face helmets have never really appealed and I wouldn’t consider not wearing one, no matter where I was.
When AGV offered to let me try their SportModular flip front lid I was a bit sceptical, but I’m always open to new ideas, so thought I’d give it a go.
There’s a lot going on with the AGV SportModular so let’s start with a bit of a run down about the helmet and its features.
This is a 100% full carbon fibre shell, even the flip part of the helmet is full carbon, unlike many other flip front helmets. This is no easy task, it’s a very complex shape and tolerances need to be tight. The end result is a very strong and light helmet. It has the same impact resistance as a race helmet such as AGVs own Pista GP R (Rossi’s helmet) but with the practicality of a flip-up helmet. Another benefit of the full carbon fibre shell is that it looks stunning. Another benefit of carbon fibre construction is the weight or lack of it. AGV has created a flip front helmet with outstanding impact resistance and lightweight, just 1295kg (for the smallest size. The bigger sizes will weigh more).
To open the front, there is a simple forward hinging latch under the centre of the chin. This has been designed to prevent accidental openings and is simple to use, even with winter gloves and incredibly strong.
Ventilation is effective and simple too.
You have a centre chin vent which works by sliding up to close or down to open, nice and easy, even in winter gloves. You have a centrally positioned vent on the top which again slides back to open and forward to close, nice and easy, and there is an exhaust combined with a kind of flip-up spoiler which is supposed to reduce turbulence too. With the vents open, you are rewarded with a pleasant and noticeable little breeze through the helmet.
The visor has AGVs patented multistep visor lock mechanism and patented extra quick release system. This means it locks in the closed position and is opened with a button at the bottom edge of the visor in the centre. You lock the visor fully closed, or in a slightly open position which means as the speed increases, it won’t snap shut on you. It’s also an optic class 1 visor, so the best visual quality there is, and its scratch proof.
You will also benefit from the pinlock 120 which is included with the SportModular, and my helmet was delivered with a tinted visor which is an option. Both are excellent additions. The tinted visor is great for the recent fantastic weather, but as the sun turned to rain, it wasn’t too dark. Changing the visor is simple with AGVs patented multistep visor lock mechanism. It’s simplicity itself to use and very secure. It also has an incredible 190-degree field of vision.
Pinlock is actually a new experience for me but was a bit of a revelation. It’s really easy to fit and is very effective. If you haven’t used it, it’s like fitting double glazing to your visor. There are pins at the edges of the visor and a kind of secondary visor fits on the inside on your main visor, with a small silicon edge to make a seal. The end result is a visor that almost never mists up. It’s a simple but very effective system.
Finally for the visors, in addition to all of this stuff, there is an internal, flip-down sun visor. You flip it down by using a simple slider on the left-hand side of the helmet, on the bottom edge at the side. You push the little slider back and the anti-scratch sun visor drops down. Slide it forward and the visor flips back up. I’ve got a big nose and wear glasses and it was fine. It almost touched my nose, but not quite.
AGV have fitted the SportModular with a fully-removable lining as you would expect. There is a removable skull cap that can be removed, reversed and replaced, and has a warmer and a cooler side. To keep your head safe in the event of an off, there is a five-part EPS (expanded polystyrene) insert that provides differing densities at the top, front, rear and sides.
SportModular comes with two chin skirts, so you can create a tighter seal, or remove it altogether. The lining allows for glasses wearers to use the helmet comfortably and there are removable pads by your ears to allow the fitment of an intercom or communication device.
AGVs SportModular is available in eight sizes from XXS – XXXL and in a range of colours and finishes. Mine is the Ray Carbon/White/Yellow Fluo.
What’s it actually like to live with? Well, I’ve used it for a while now in all kinds of weather and on various bikes. I’ve probably covered a couple of thousand miles in everything from heavy rain to glorious sunshine.
Several observations spring to mind. One of them is the weight. Despite the integral sun visor and flip front, it’s a light helmet. Saying that I add weight unfortunately but sticking an action camera to it, and also a Cardo PackTalk Bold communication system. Despite this, it’s still a very comfortable helmet and can easily be worn for hours at a time.
As a newbie to flip-up lids, it took a moment to get used to it. I’ve always thought they looked a little odd, but actually they are a great idea.
I was worried I might look a little odd until I pulled up at some lights and a custom Harley pulled up next to me, low, fat back tyre, loud and the dude riding it was pretty damn cool. As I looked over to give him a sheepish nod, I saw he had a flip front helmet, flipped up.
Generally, I keep it closed, but when it’s really warm and at low speed, in traffic, I flip it up and it’s great. Also, when I stop or at petrol stations, I flip it up and can talk without shouting to be heard.
I found the flip front easy to open and close, but the visor is a little fiddly with winter gloves on.
Talking of noise, it’s a bit noisy. Not bad but certainly not whisper quiet. You should wear earplugs at speed although I have fitted the Cardo so can’t. I’ll do a separate review of the Cardo shortly for you all.
When all is said and done, It’s a really nice helmet, well made and with some great features. In my experience, it was comfortable and practical and I really like it.
This week I have been enjoying the Kia Stinger GT-S.
Kia describes the Stinger as a halo performance model. They say it is a GT car and not a hard-edged sports car.
I read a very cool quote from chief designer Gregory Guillaume (Gee-ome) which said: “the Stinger has nothing to do with being first to arrive. This car is all about the journey. it’s about passion.”
Stinger is a new direction for Kia, taking them into a new market sector. A 5 door, 5 seater fastback style grand Tourer. It is also their first Rear Wheel Drive car in the UK.
Our Stinger is the GT-S which means it has the all aluminium, 3.3 litre twin-turbo V6 engine, producing 361bhp and 510Nm or torque.
Interestingly, it makes peak power at 6,000rpm but…..makes its torque between 1500rpm and 4,500pm. 1500rpm! What this means is the engine is very tractable and you don’t need to rev it to get the most out of it, which is how a GT car should be. 0-62mph comes up in just 4.7 seconds and the top speed is 168mph
The Interior is beautiful. It’s not brash or ostentatious, it’s elegant and dignified. I would describe it as somewhere between a dull Audi interior and an unnecessarily conspicuous Mercedes Interior.
Seats, armrests, steering wheel, dashboard and gear shifter are all upholstered in plush Nappa leather. The centre console, Interior door handles & pedals have a brushed aluminium finish and there is a beautiful suede headlining.
Both front seats are electrically adjustable and heated and cooled and the driver’s seat has a huge amount of electric adjustment for lumbar and bolsters.
I actually found the seats firm but fantastically comfortable over a long distance. There’s plenty of room and they are very supportive.
Suspension on the Kia is excellent. McPherson struts at the front with multi-link rear suspension. It’s also Blessed with DSDC: Electronically controlled, Dynamic, Stability, Damping, Control
The car adjusts the suspension on the move, controlled by acceleration, braking and steering sensors. The driver can change the characteristics of the whole car by using the Mode Selector on the centre console.
There are 5 modes: Smart – Eco – Normal – Sport – Sport+.
Each position of the drive mode selector noticeably changes the characteristic of the car.
I’m sure you’ve seen this kind of thing before. Steering, gearbox and throttle become more responsive, suspension firms up and the whole car takes on a more sporty attitude.
In the Kia Stinger, the modes feel like well spaced gear ratios. They offer a very progressive, increased level of driver involvement by reducing the electronic intervention and increasing the fun factor, culminating in the full fat Sport+ mode.
However, even Sport+ has some electronic involvement. It will go sideways but the car still has your back.
If you really want to be a no holes barred hooligan, you can completely turn off traction control and stability control with another button on the centre console.
Brakes are fantastic. Kia have blessed the Stinger with 350mm discs on the front and 340mm on the rear, both with massive calipers. The braking force is epic and the feel is excellent. When you first press the brake pedal, Initial bite is quite gentle. There is no snatching or jerky braking, it’s nice and gentle. When you apply more pressure, the braking force increases significantly. In short, the brakes are excellent, they are the best of both worlds: easy to use around town, and provide immense stopping power when needed.
As a GT car, the Stinger really works. You can easily cover hundreds of miles in comfort, cocooned in a beautifully built cockpit, accompanied by the sweet but subtle song of the all aluminium V6. Slip the drive mode selector to ‘comfort’ and enjoy the relaxed, brisk journey.
Turn the drive mode selector to Sport+ and you can drive it like you stole it. If you turn traction control off, you can pretend you’re a bad guy in a movie being chased by the superhero. It’s fast, poised, you can slide the rear end at will and be a total hooligan if you want.
The chassis is fantastic. Whether you are cruising in comfort or being a lunatic in sport+, the car is never nervous and always feels predictable and controllable.
One of the most striking features of the Stinger is the price. This 3.3 GT-S is the top of the range car with all the toys. It is only £41,646.24. There are very few options available, the standard car has all the toys as standard. To get something like an Audi S5 with a similar specification, you would be somewhere in the region of £62,000. I would have the Kia in a heartbeat over the Audi.
If I had a concern, it would be over residual value. I would expect a BMW or Audi to have a stronger residual but, I don’t know.
This Stinger is very, very good and in my opinion, better than any financially equivalent GT car.
Things that we’re really loving this week. Our pick of some of the best books, beauty, style and home gadgets going.
Stage Mother
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Stage Mother sees conservative, Texas church-choir director Maybelline (Jacki Weaver) inheriting her recently deceased son’s drag club, and surprising her closed-minded husband, and everyone else she knows, by moving alone to San Francisco to save the club from bankruptcy.
Jacqui Weaver is exceptional as a mother who mourns the death of her son – a drag queen – in the terrific new film Stage Mother. To say it’s a gay old time is an understatement. It’s instead a grand old time, and get ready for a very emotional ending.
‘STAGE MOTHER’ has arrived, ahead of its now earlier theatrical release across the UK and Ireland.
INNERJI
Sometimes you need a pick me up that tastes refreshing, not chemical, step up and come through INNERJI. A brand new drink free from all the nasties that we’ve come to accept from perk-up drinks. It’s the first-ever caffeine-free energising tonic and contains the “revitalising immortality super-herb, Jiaogulan”, found in the mountains of the Far East. Jiaogulan contains energising properties which increase strength and endurance naturally to give you the energy boost you need, without the caffeine. With all that talk of immortality, I’m reminded of Death Becomes Her and I’m living for it.
I have to be honest, I’d not heard about Teamm8 here in the UK, (they come all the way from Australia) until these swim-shorts arrived on my doorstep and now I’m actually in love. Somehow, I’m imagining magic, once worn these turn my butt into a living version of the David statue, Incredible.
As for the design, they are colourful, I’ll give them that. Pride season may sadly be all but over (did it actually even happen) but there are always the beaches of Gran Canaria.
With all the handwashing we’ve been enduring recently, my hands are feeling raw and the cuticle situ isn’t good, it has to be said. Finding a hand cream that doesn’t feel too tacky, but also leaves the fingers and palm feeling subtle is a science, one that Farmologie by Childs Farm have seemingly cracked. Plus I love that this company understands that the planet is important. To that end, the packaging is 100 per cent recycled ocean-bound plastic, which has been ethically sourced. Oh, and the coconut body oil is divine. Vegan and cruelty-free.
Check out their full range https://www.childsfarm.com/farmologie/
An engaging but ultimately flawed twink flick that reinforces the idea that you can only be openly gay in the big city, rather than remaining in the provincial community in which you grew up.
Dating Amber – Amazon Prime’s latest LGBT+ offering to coincide with Pride season. And it’s a cute film, if you’re into soft and gentle twinks being goofy and finding themselves in a sea of prejudice and misunderstanding.
Irish actor Fionn O’Shea is undoubtedly the star here. We’ve seen him before in Handsome Devil (2016), where he played a similarly confused twink alongside the beautiful Nicholas Galitzine. The only difference is that Eddie in Dating Amber is a more rounded and complicated individual than Ned Roche in Handsome Devil, who spends most of the film crushing over his rugby twunk dorm mate, Connor.
In all fairness though, Dating Amber is about two closeted teenagers, not just one. Lola Petticrew gives a strong performance as Amber—a frustrated but determined closeted lesbian who runs a side business renting out one of her mother’s caravans for schoolmates to have romantic liaisons.
Side by side, Amber and Eddie struggle with their sexuality in a hostile school environment and if it weren’t for the fact that both actors are so engaging, this plot premise would make a predictable film into a very predictable and frankly dull-as-ditchwater one.
But somehow O’Shea and Petticrew manage to pull through as their characters start dating one another as a ruse to throw off the incessant crowing from their homophobic classmates.
Trips to Dublin, late-night drug-fuelled escapades, and lies lies lies follow as these two try to convince everyone else, including themselves, that they’re straight.
Eventually, of course, the truth comes out, and Eddie ultimately finds his way. To London, in fact, where the promise of a fulfilling life for this ‘baby gay’ beams into Eddie’s sunny face.
A predictable outcome
What I wanted, though, was a less predictable and ultimately less deceiving ending. We’ve seen it before. A provincial gay boy who is closeted because of his misunderstanding community and family can only find freedom by escaping to the big metropolis.
The consequence of this is that as viewers, and as gay people, in particular, we internalise the assumption that rural, provincial communities are no place for ‘an out gay man’, as Little Britain’s Daffyd Thomas (Only gay in the village) used to tell us repeatedly.
Now, I grew up in a provincial rural village, admittedly in the 2000s, a decade later than this film is set. But, while there weren’t nuns on every street corner signing themselves each time they saw the local bum boy walk into the Co-op, it wasn’t easy. Rural communities tend to be built around heterosexual families and their needs, and there is intense pressure to follow suit. And I felt it.
I went off to university, to the great metropoli of Exeter, Leeds, and Leicester, but have I been any more fulfilled? There are opportunities that big cities present to LGBTQ people which are undeniably advantageous and, ideally, it doesn’t have to be either / or.
Yet Dating Amber makes it precisely into an either/or decision. Either you stay here and this place will kill you, as Amber explains to Eddie, or you go out there, to the big city, and find yourself and be happy.
The result is that rural communities are drained of the kind of social diversity that makes for more tolerant neighbourhoods, and being gay itself becomes synonymous with a kind of metropolitan and urban lifestyle that those of us who are more rural at heart find hard to bear.
What we need, then, are LGBTQ films, like God’s Country, that wrestle hard with the realities of being ‘the only gay in the village’, and where communities themselves go through a process of slow adaptation so that they become welcoming places for all sorts of people.
Jacqui Weaver is memorable as a mother who mourns the death of her son – a drag queen – in the terrific new film Stage Mother.
Maybelline (great name), married to very conservative Jeb (Hugh Thompson) who never quite accepted the fact that he had a gay son, goes to San Francisco to discover the life her son Rickey (Eldon Thiele) led. There she is met with scorn by her son’s lover Nathan (Adrian Grenier) who knew how Rickey never did quite get along with his parents. But she is also thrown aback to discover that her son owned a gay/drag bar, a bar that Nathan manages and which includes a bevvy of drag queens, among them the fabulous Dusty Muffin (Jackie Beat) and Tequila (Oscar Moreno).
Maybelline is lucky enough to be put up by her son’s friend and neighbour Sienna (a fierce and sexy Lucy Liu) with her adorable baby. It’s no real surprise and shock where the story takes us as the queens (including Mya Taylor – who was fantastic in Tangerine) warm up to Maybelline, who transforms their show (Maybelline is a choir director back in Texas) while at the same time transforming their lives. Will Maybelline sell and go back to her boring husband and life or will she add a bit of spice and magic to make the bar her own?
Weaver is wonderful as Maybelline – it’s a part that seems was tailor-made for her – it’s a perfect fit. At a bit over 90 minutes, there is a lot jam-packed into the film – smoothly directed by Thom Fitzgerald.
To say it’s a gay old time is an understatement. It’s instead a grand old time, and get ready for a very emotional ending.
‘STAGE MOTHER’ has arrived, ahead of its now earlier theatrical release across the UK and Ireland from Friday 24
Things that we’re really loving this week. Our pick of some of the best books, beauty, style and home gadgets going.
Hideous Beauty
Ⓒ THEGAYUK / Jake Hook
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
A brand new LGBT+ Young Adult mystery novel by author William Hussey. Follow the story of 17-year-old Dylan as he comes to terms of being outing at school in the most gutting way imaginable. This book covers first love, revenge porn, conservative parents, a terrible accident, sexual assault and grieving… but who brought all this pain on Dylan? We can just see Hideous Beauty cropping up as a Netflix film in the near future with its flavours of Sex Education, 13 Reasons Why and Love, Simon. Brutal but beautiful.
Available from all good book shops and digital retailers.
Mini Felt Bear
We love, and we mean love these felt bears from jonesyinc, what’s more, we love supporting artists and creative people, especially during this pandemic. All handmade here in the UK. Jonesyinc’s Etsy page is somewhere we find ourselves going just to chill out amongst the subtle tones and understated hues of his work. Fine chairpersonship and great ideas for gifts and a little pick-me-up for you. Oh and there’s 50 per cent off when you use: JONESYINC50
Code 22 Jock
We have to say, we love a jock, especially when it just frames the booty just right. This Jock from Code 22 features a comfortable cotton front and elastic with just enough give as not give you the love handle effect. Fetchstore online sells the Code 22 Jock, currently with a money-off offer. What’s not to love.
#PrideInside with Superdrug
Ⓒ THEGAYUK / Jake Hook
Superdrug is helping you get your Pride on in 2020 at home, as most Pride events have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It has branded some of its products with the iconic rainbow flag and teamed up with the LGBT+ helpline, Switchboard, so every item you buy from their pride range you know you’re supporting a worthwhile cause.
The Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X is the latest in our series of lifestyle pickup reviews.
Mitsubishi’s L200 is now in its 6th generation with production beginning way back in 1978, and worldwide production topping five million vehicles so far.
If you’re looking for a pickup, you will be interested in some or all of the statistics, so here we go; There is an all-new 2268cc all-aluminium turbo diesel 4 cylinder engine producing 150bhp and 400Nm torque. Gearbox options are the new 6 speed automatic or a 6-speed manual.
The payload is up to 1080kg and gross train weight (GTW) is 6100 kg. Curb weight for the L200 is 1935kg and the towing capacity is 3100kg with a twin axle trailer.
At just under 5.3m long, this is a long vehicle and certainly doesn’t fit into a small, modern parking space. Width is 1.8m and feels no wider than most of the traffic around you. Lastly, the bed length is 1850 on this model. List price on the L200 starts at around £21,000, rising to £32,000 for what you see here, the Barbarian X.
Solid axle and leaf spring at the rear and double wishbones and struts at the front.
It wasn’t all that long ago that a pickup was simply a work tool. I remember early L200’s, Ford Rangers and many others, being pretty agricultural and basic. Over time, manufacturers have added more and more creature comforts. These days, manufacturers generally include at least one well-appointed, lifestyle type pickup in their range.
Mitsubishi is no exception with their L200. This Barbarian X model is like a luxury SUV inside.
Barbarian X comes with leather and Alcantara upholstery. The seats have sixpack quilted stitching, and leather features on door cards, centre console, armrest, and rear seats. The interior plastics are high quality and soft touch and after several thousand press fleet miles (aka hard miles) the interior is fresh, unmarked and doesn’t squeak or rattle.
Exterior styling is a bit contentious. In a time when manufacturers seem to be trying to soften the styling on pickups to make them less aggressive, Mitsubishi decided on a more bold approach to the styling. The front is particularly striking with angle and straight lines dominating. They call is dynamic mesh. One thing is for sure, it’s an imposing sight in your rearview mirror.
Side steps have been raised, in fact, the whole vehicle rides higher.
Pickups have generally lacked in creature comforts over here. In the last few years, things have certainly changed, and this L200 boasts an impressive list of active safety aids. Partly lead by legislation and partly by customer expectation, o modern pickup is very well specified. This Mitsubishi has every active safety aid you would find on a modern car. Mitsubishi proudly state this barbarian X has class-leading active safety.
As you would expect, there is a touch screen infotainment system. It’s not the last word in refinement but works well and has a good stereo.
What’s it like to live with and drive? It has a poor turning circle and is a little bit bouncy over potholes, to be honest. Mitsubishi have stiffened the suspension over the previous generation. There are stiffer springs but in my humble opinion, the damping could be better. It works much better with a bit of weight on the back and is very smooth then. Let’s put this into perspective. This L200 is a pickup, designed to work for a living. It’s also a serious off-road tool with increased ground clearance over the previous model and a host of off-road features such as a low range gearbox and locking diffs. It’s also a luxury SUV and all for £32,000. Bearing that in mind, there is bound to be a compromise. Saying it’s compromised seem unfair though, it’s very nice to drive. I did 5hrs on the road in it one day with absolutely no issues or complaints. It was a lovely place to be.
