Grasping your partner’s hand while dining under a blanket of stars surrounded by crisp whites and blues. Massive pillars of white marble stationed throughout that perfectly frame a gargantuan ice chest full of the reason for your visit: fresh fish.

It’s an upscale Greek classic and a welcome atmosphere for our community. It’s Kyma.

And it’s entirely possible to enjoy all the splendors while watching your waistline. Fenuxe has the agenda.

Go with a pita spread for starters. Our choice is melitzanosalata, a smooth soiree of eggplant caviar and crumbled walnuts. A tasty, healthier alternative to the other spreads.

Now apps, apps, apps—or “meze” if you want to stay in character. Expand your mind and your palette with the wood-grilled octopus, which arrives tenderly with a pickled red onion salad in a red wine vinaigrette.

Entree? Simple: love the lavraki. This flaky Greek fish is filleted to fruition giving it a clean, mild flavor dabbed carefully with lemon and olive oil. If firm not flaky is your aim, go with the New Zealand treat the St. Pierre—rich, full-flavored and protein for days.

Cap the evening with the homemade yogurt with Greek mountain honey, a tantalizing topping you won’t find anytime soon in the grocery aisle.

We’re all set then. Make your reservation, sit amongst the stars, eat well without regret and nod hello to the other gay couples you’re sure to see taking in the spectacle of the contemporarily traditional Greek grandeur of Kyma on Piedmont.

*Kyma is located at 3085 Piedmont Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305; 404-262-0702 or visit www.buckheadrestaurants.com/kyma

“Pura vida” is not just a Costa Rican phrase, it’s a philosophy. It’s about perseverance, appreciating life, celebrating the good times, resilience in the face of difficult times. All qualities that could be attributed to our community.

Costa Rica offers more than just a philosophy: white sand beaches, virgin forests and abundant wildlife both lush and tropical. Muy gay-friendly and great opportunities to hike, swim, surf and mountain climb. This is Rich Coast. This is Costa Rica.

This Latin American jewel is becoming THE go-to choice for gay travelers seeking the ultimate tropical getaway. So let’s go live pura vida the Costa Rican way!

Call 1-800-221-1212 to book your Delta flight to Juan Santamaria International Airport just outside of San Jose. It’s such a short flight that you can grab breakfast at the Flying Biscuit and be tipping back a Corona in San Jose by lunchtime.

There’s an assortment of cool places to stay both gay-owned and gay-friendly. One of the best we found is Hotel Kekoldi (786-221-9011, Avenida 9, between Calle 5 and 7). Kekoldi is gay-owned and located in a historic Art Deco building which offers a secluded diversion from the hectic streets of San Jose.

For dinner, you should hit up Cafe Mundo (2222-6190, Calle 15 y Avenida 9, 200m este y 100m norte del INS), a favorite for those looking for a taste of Italian as well as classic Costa Rican dishes. With over 150 varieties of fruits in Costa Rica, you’ll be able to get a taste of the country without sacrificing your health.

Dinner is done so what’s San Jose got in store for gay nightlife for the Fenuxe Traveler? There’s a gay area of town just south of Central Park that caters to locals and foreigners alike—and it turns more gay as the night wears on! You’ll run into any number of men at La Avispa (506-2223-5343, 250 m. sur de Banco Popular) or El Bochinche (506-221-0500, Calle 11, Ave. 10 y 12) so take your pick of bars, and your time.

While you’re in Costa Rica, you have to see the gorgeous Manuel Antonio National Park and an even better-looking gay community. The beach scene is immaculate in Manuel Antonio and neighboring Quepos. You’re walking through the finest white sand by the clearest blue water in all of Costa Rica. And it’s packed with eye candy! The four-hour drive from San Jose is rocky so we suggest the smooth one-hour flight.

Fenuxe’s first choice for hotel accommodations is the gay-owned Hotel Villa Roca (506-2777-1349, Carretera hacia al Parque Nacional, Quepos 6350), a uniquely exotic oasis with generous views of Manuel Antonio National Park and the Pacific.

There are many nearby trails that winds delicately around Punta Catedral that offers unforgettable views of the tropical forest that just kisses the high tide line. Hundred of species of mammals and birds await you, and if you’re lucky you’ll see a whale peaking above the white caps.

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, would a view of the sprawling rainforest and the Pacific suit you? Take a seat upstairs at Gato Negro (506-2777-1728). This black cat is definitely good luck.

Then it’s on to sunset drinks at the quiet, colorful Salsipuedes (2777-5019, Main road, north of Barba Roja) before stopping by the lively little second floor bar/disco Tutu (506-777-0408, Above Gato Negro, Casitas Eclipse). This is the ultimate Costa Rican night for the gay traveler.

A Costa Rican trip would not be complete without an overnight trip north to Lake Arenal. More than a few gay parties take place at the Palo Verde Resort (954-779-6031, 5 miles Wof La Fortuna on the Main Road, Next to the Volcano Lodge, Las Palmas, La Fortuna de San Carlos). Just make sure you leave the resort to take in Lake Arenal and especially Arenal Volcano. The hike will be a treasure that endures, both for the beauty you’ll encounter and for the calories you’ll burn off from last night’s revelry!

Give Gecko Trail Adventures a shout. The gay-owned travel company offers packages for all levels of fitness. Whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River, sailing and snorkeling in the cool Pacific, ziplining through the jungle canopy of Cahuita National Park, relaxing in the hot springs while watching volcanoes erupt. Whatever your flavor, the adventure awaits.

Embrace all you can in Costa Rica. You’ve got easy travel options, places to stay, fresh cuisine to sample, drinks to finish and beaches, lakes and volcanoes to explore. All in a gay-friendly, heart-healthy way. Embrace pura vida.

The Fenuxe Man and Woman know how to roam. Yes friends, there are better, and often healthier ways to get around our fair city than by car. The options are growing more attractive every day.

The amount of trail options has exploded in the last 15 years, thanks primarily to the non-profit PATH Foundation. Want a straight shot from downtown Atlanta to Decatur and back? Hit up the Freedom Park trail for a beautiful 3-mile trek and visit the Decatur Farmer’s Market while you’re at it.

Still up for more? Make a beeline eastward down the trail for Stone Mountain Park. You’ll find 12 unforgettable miles full of greenery and scenery. Also, with so many regulars, keep an eye out because you might just make a new friend!

Don’t neglect the west though. The Silver Comet Trail kicks off in Smyrna and shoots 60 miles out alllll the way to Alabama. Campground and hotel accommodations abound along the way if you want to make a night of it. Otherwise make it a day trip, play as long as you’d like, and you’ll be back on the patio at Joe’s just in time for happy hour.

Shifting gears from trails to rails, why not take advantage of MARTA for a change? Midtown station has a new train coming through every 15 minutes to get you where you’re going. Switch trains at Five Points and head eastward to Decatur to try the grilled lollipop lamb chops at the super gay-friendly Parker’s on Ponce.

Don’t miss the bus either! A fleet of MARTA buses rumble through nearly 150 routes throughout the city. Whether it’s by bus or rails, using public transportation really makes Atlanta feel like city-living. Plus think of all the calories burned hopping from one point to the next.

And nothing has got people talking about the future of our city more than the spectacular Beltline project. The 22-mile line is under construction now and will include a transit system, footpaths and 2,500 acres of redeveloped land and green space. Word has it that a streetcar system is in the works, which would give us a little bit of that San Fran feel, suitable for the NEW gayest city in the nation.

It’s about experiencing our beautiful city in alternate ways that could also be beneficial to your health. So whether by foot, bike, bus or train, the B-52’s were right—we really can roam if we want to. But we don’t recommend roller skating down 10th Street —leave that to the professionals at Blake’s.

Additional information available at www.pathfoundation.org, www.itsmarta.com and www.beltline.org.

Springtime in Atlanta teems with wonderful scenes: patio season, shirtless runners on Piedmont and more gay sports leagues than there are group sings on “Glee.”

No matter if you were captain of the football team or last-picked in dodgeball, there is an LGBT sports league for you. And if you’re not ready to jump in or the season has already started, there’s a packed schedule through the spring for those who like to watch.

You’ll find the men and women of the aptly-named Atlanta Rainbow Trout at the GA Tech Aquatic Center putting in a swim, a dive or battling it out in water polo. And who doesn’t want to find their own little Michael Phelps or Dara Torres? Practices and meets run practically year-round.

If nets and rackets are your forte, head to the Glenlake Tennis Center where the Atlanta Team Tennis Association holds open play every Saturday. There are opportunities aplenty to join or form a team and compete against others, straight and gay, throughout the city.

And speaking of those shirtless runners, Front Runners Atlanta has got you covered with group runs on Saturday mornings and Monday and Wednesday nights. The group gathers after each trek for a post-run meal at an area restaurant so there ARE opportunities to get to know someone after you catch your breath.

The hotspot for many reasons this season though is Candler Park on Saturdays. The QB’s are tossing bombs, the wide receivers are diving for catches and the all-gay National Flag Football League of Atlanta is bringing the heat through the end of May.

If it’s futbol and not football you prefer, the Hotlanta Soccer Association has got you covered. Teams are competing against others (gay and straight alike) in leagues throughout the city.

And the spring season might be over for the Hotlanta Volleyball Association but the bumping, setting and spiking continues with open play at Agnes Scott on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Softball might be the ultimate spring sport though if the teams formed by Woofs, BJ Roosters and Crimpers hair salon are any indication. The Hotlanta Softball League battles it out through July before starting up again for “fall ball” in September. Just watch out for the lethal ladies who call themselves the Violent Femmes. Now those are Fenuxe Women!

And the scrums are nowhere to be seen till next season for the Atlanta Bucks rugby team, but we’ve obviously got no shortage of alternatives to get out, get fit and meet a friend or two. A lot of us grew up dreading gym class—now we’ve got the chance to make up for it and get our game on!

*Please visit Atlantagaysports.com for more information about all of these teams.

Atlanta’s Michael Lammons is making the rise! The LGBT advocate and Partner at global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has been named to the Board of Directors of The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s largest LGBT media advocacy group.

Whether it’s through his work as Chairman of PwC’s National GLBT Partner Advisory Board or one of the creators of PwC’s National LGBT affinity programs, Lammons is a crucial reason that PwC routinely scores 100′s on the HRC Equality Index. That national reach spreads to his work at the Out & Equal Executive Forum in New York City, a meeting of 50 elite LGBT corporate leaders who spread the gospel of workplace equality far and wide.

But Lammons isn’t just working from the inside to create a better world for the LGBT community: you can count CHRIS Kids and AID Atlanta on the list of local LGBT organizations that benefit from his involvement.

So whether it’s impacting boardroom equality inside global corporations or impacting the lives of homeless LGBT kids right outside our doors, Michael Lammons is a Fenuxe Man on the way up.