Florida Agenda

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – To coincide with National Suicide Prevention Month, the Trevor Project announced a campaign to target wider public awareness of teen suicide and prevention. Officials say the “Talk To Me” campaign is inspired by Department of Health and Human Services research released this month. That data reports a significant impact in prevention rates for programs that encourage depressed teens to seek help.

According to statistics, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 10 to 24-year-olds. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight counterparts, and nearly half of transgender youth have seriously contemplated suicide (one-quarter report having made an actual suicide attempt).

Officials say that September is an especially stressful month for teens starting or returning to school. The Talk To Me project was set up to provide encouragement to depressed teens, via persons who pledge to provide support to someone who may be contemplating suicide.

The Trevor Project—founded in 1998 and now the nation’s leading organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth— established National Suicide Prevention Month, along with National Suicide Prevention Week (September 9 to 15), World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) and The Trevor Project Day (September 27), to draw attention to the national crisis of teen suicide.

The organization receives 35,000 calls annually.

Out in Los Angeles, Part 1 of 3

At the base of the Hollywood Hills and adjacent to Beverly Hills, West Hollywood  (WeHo) is L.A.’s most progressive enclave and arguably the epicenter of America’s gay universe. On a day-to-day basis, the streets of WeHo teem with gorgeous people and edgy fashions, making the true attraction of visiting here a bit of recreation time on the eye-candy playground and the ever so delightful judgment carousel. Over my next three columns, I’ll be drowning myself in the delightful pretention, the trends, the opulence, the foodie revolution, and the hidden gems that make the “City of Angels” so fantastically special, centered on its hot gayborhood, WeHo, and its oh-so awesome neighboring zip code, 90210.

My L.A. experience began when I landed at LAX bright and early and was met upon arrival by my driver,Denise, from Wilshire Limousine (www.wilshirelimousine.com, 310.846.5147). Dressed to the nines, Denise commandeered my luggage cart and escorted me to our snazzy BMW 750iL, whereupon we breezed through L.A’s back roads, avoiding traffic of the 405 and the 101 at all costs. My newest designer sunglasses in hand, I exited the cab at the flawless Andaz West Hollywood (www.westhollywood.andaz-.hyatt.com, 323.656.1234).

The Andaz West Hollywood is Hyatt’s much awaited youthful re-invention of the former Sunset Strip “Riot Hyatt,” a hotbed of 70s and 80s rock n’ roll angst and the long-haired rocker appetite for hotel destruction.  The new Andaz is fresh, funky, fun, and full of freebees, offering a strategically conceptualized product that bridges gaps between generations. The contemporary design of common spaces is highly detailed while rooms are simple and understated. Guest rooms boast spacious sunrooms with floor to ceiling windows, peering over the Sunset Strip and vaster Hollywood panoramas (from floors 6 and up). Free Illy espresso, wine, and rotating snacks lure guests at all hours to the lobby, while the complimentary (nonalcoholic) mini bar gives new meaning to raiding the fridge.

Following check-in, I enjoyed a day of leisure strolling the crossroads of Melrose Avenue and Robertson and Beverly Boulevards. Dubbed “the Art, Fashion, and Design District” (www.avenueswh.com/business-listings) these blocks are home to hundreds of design showrooms and big name fashion houses like Christian Louboutin, Stella McCartney, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Balenciaga, Alberta Ferretti, as well as eclectic boutiques like Alpha and Kitson Men. Eager to fit into my hottest (and tightest) threads, a light lunch was in order at Fresh East (www.fresheast.com, 310.859.9989), an organic restaurant that takes the concept of “going green” to an entire new level.

Everything at Fresh East screams sustainable, from the utensils made of recycled fibers, to the plates made of palm leaves, to the water-saving urinals. As the name suggests the restaurant’s Pan-Asian delights deliver the ultimate in freshness, and they happen to be amazing. I had the “5 Spice Glazed Salmon-“ organic Salmon, brown rice, asparagus, 5 spice glaze ­– and washed it down with fresh coconut water.

As I walked north towards Sunset, the Rolls Royces raced by, and I had my first big celebrity sighting of the day – Mark Wahlberg (yummy!). Passing through the scores of beautiful strangers, shiny cars, and the juxtaposition of wealth and grit, I arrived at Sunset Plaza, the trendy stretch of road in the middle of the Sunset Strip that’s been a L.A. hotspot since the 1930s. You could see the paparazzi camped out at the Coffee Bean, just waiting for Demi Moore to come get her caffeine fix. And you could overhear the adorable young Hollywood crowd in oversized sunglasses having the most trivial and pointless of conversations.

Next up was a rooftop pub-crawl to the most extravagant rooftops in L.A. I met up with friends on the roof of the London West Hollywood. From there, we proceeded to happy hour drinks on the roof of the Thompson Beverly Hills, and finally returned to the Andaz West Hollywood rooftop. It was only natural to end my first day/night in L.A. with another A-list celebrity sighting. Back in the Andaz lobby, who walked by me but none other than Leonardo Di Caprio, heading to the hotel restaurant, RH, to dine on phenomenal southwestern French cuisine!

For your escape to Los Angeles call 323.656.1234 or visit www.westhollywood.andaz.hyatt.com

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA: Before departing on their “race around the world,” new “The Amazing Race” team of Ron Kellum and Tony S tovall s

topped by the West Hollywood studio of photographer, Adam Bouska to pose for their official NOH8 campaign portrait.

Best friends for over 20 years, Kellum, 45, said that his biggest achievement came when he was cast in his first Broadway show, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and writing his first book, “The Gypsy’s Survival Guide to Show-Business.” Stovall, 42, said his biggest achievement has been getting his MBA. Unfortunately, success in life doesn’t mean success on “The Amazing Race” as they were the first to be eliminated from this season’s show as they couldn’t find Stonehenge in the U.K.

The Hollywood hills are majestic as you relax poolside at the Andaz Hyatt. (Photo Courtesy Paul Rubio).

By PAUL RUBIO

Since the 1920s, the L.A. enigma of wealth, fame, and pretention has lured celebrity hopefuls and aspiring anybodies to enter a vortex of the fake and fabulous, in a desperate attempt to become “somebody.” Likewise, this conundrum has placed L.A. at the top of the global “must see” bucket list, especially for the GLBT traveler.

Neighboring Beverly Hills, West Hollywood is arguably the epicenter of America’s gay universe.

On a day-to-day basis, the streets of WEHO teem with America’s most stunning gay men, making the true attraction of visiting this gayborhood recreation time on an eye-candy playground. In fact, tourists simply looking for the “gay L.A.” experience need go no further than the main drags of Melrose, Sunset, and Santa Monica.

After battling some annoying traffic coming from LAX and catching a glimpse of the Hollywood sign, it’s time to put on your sunglasses and look the part, exiting the cab in front of either the flawless London West Hollywood (thelondonwesthollywood.com) or the awesome Andaz West Hollywood (westhollywood. andaz.hyatt.com). The Andaz West Hollywood is Hyatt’s much awaited youthful re-invention of the former Sunset Strip “Riot Hyatt,” a hotbed of 70s and 80s rock n roll angst and the long-haired rocker appetite for hotel destruction. The new Andaz is fresh, funky, fun, and full of freebees, offering a better-planned and more strategically conceptualized product than its most analogous competitor, the “W.” The contemporary design of common spaces is highly detailed while rooms are simple and understated. Guest rooms boast spacious sunrooms with floor to ceiling windows, peering over the Sunset Strip and vaster Hollywood panoramas (from floors 6 and up). Free Illy espresso, wine, and rotating snacks lure guests at all hours to the lobby, while the complimentary (nonalcoholic) mini bar gives new meaning to raiding the fridge. Sunning in your Speedo at the rooftop pool is arguably one of the best uses of LA daylight, while healthy French cuisine at the hotel’s restaurant, the Riot House, offers an authentic gastronomic link to the French countryside.

The rooftop pool at WEHO’s other most stylish crash pad, the London West Hollywood, also merits major bragging rights. The London’s signature bathrooms are larger than most NYC studio apartments, and likely the subject of countless Facebook photos and ridiculously long baths (with multiple guests). Like the Andaz, the London offers a sizeable gym, but a more inspirational physical experience beckons at the nearby Crunch (crunch.com) on Sunset Blvd or the Sports Club LA (thesportsclubla.com) on Sepulveda – both wet dreams of muscle boys pumping iron with frequent sightings of the legend Carol Channing in a leotard at the latter.

By early evening, WEHO transforms into a concentrated commune of fabulous eats, celebrity sightings, and unadulterated fun. The sexy Cecconi’s (www.cecconiswesthollywood.com) serves Italian fusion to a svelte, calorie conscious clientele, more concerned with being seen than inhaling their tuna tartare. The irresistible diet anti-Christ, BLT Steak (www.bltsteak.com), caters to the foodie crowd, content scraping their plates for that one final bite of the decadent Lobster Cobb Salad, the over-stuffed Mushrooms, or the signature buttery Sole. Come 11pm, the world famous Abbey (www.abbeyfoodandbar.com) shows no signs of ending its long standing reign as America’s best gay bar. The oversized homo sanctuary has hosted LA’s who’s-who for nearly a decade, still championing the scene on Fridays and Sunday afternoons. Next door, Here Lounge (www.herelounge.com) is also mega popular these two evenings.

Naturally, an L.A. experience is never complete without a few notable celebrity sightings. Within West Hollywood, it’s likely you will see both the fabulous A-list and the ghetto- fabulous D-list at a Santa Monica Blvd.

Starbucks or the 2:15am sloppy pizza stop after all clubs have closed, for that Us Weekly “they’re just like us” moment. My last trip to L.A., I perhaps took the “greatest piss of all,” smack-dab next to Orlando Bloom, sharing a bit of urinal rhapsody for a good 60 seconds (plenty of time to sneak a peek or two!). I downed a tequila shot at the Abbey with “New York” from the VH1 reality show “Flava of Love” (after I realized she was more than just another drag queen). Paris Hilton brushed by me at Millions of Milkshakes (millionsofmilkshakes.com), blowing drunk “air kisses” to her waning fan base.