Holiday Debauchery Guide 2021

It’s been a busy year for drag star Ginger Minj: Taking a runner-up spot on the sixth season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race All Stars; releasing the country album Double Wide Diva; landing a book deal for a part-cookbook, part-memoir; and now, embarking on a tour of her holiday show, Ginger Minj’s Winter Wonderland, with […]

It’s a point we can all agree upon: Receiving a sex toy for a holiday gift is far better than nearly anything. And while gifting a sex toy might not always be appropriate (Hi, grandma!), our significant others and friends with benefits love ‘em! That’s why the Mercury asked the local experts at She Bop—the […]

Whew, what a year! If 2020 was the year of unprecedented events and grim milestones, 2021 was the year of “Yep, this feels awful and unforeseen enough to be right on cue.” But here we are in December, with stores and social media and car commercials telling us it’s the holidays. You’ve got loved ones […]

Portland’s scents are among the world’s finest and freshest. Because of the doughnut chain next door, my neighborhood smells like fresh rising dough, confectioners’ icing, and fruit fillings on its best days, shifting savory at night thanks to a score of breweries and coffee roasters. The neighborhood’s base notes shift seasonally, now emitting petrichor, dried […]

’Tis the season for indulgence—and what’s better to indulge in than taking care of yourself and the people around you? Nothing! Even perpetual-optimists can admit that the vibes have been bad for the past two years (Five years? Ten years? Since Reagan introduced trickle-down economics? I’m not an optimist.) Cleanse those vibes—and the accommodating quarantine […]

I can’t remember the first time I went to the movies with family members on Christmas. But I can tell you that every time I do it, I become more convinced that it’s the move for the holidays. After opening presents Christmas morning, everyone puts on the cozy socks and itchy scarves they got as […]