By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
We love and adore our Peaches of the Week, because not only does it celebrate all of the wonderful men of the Atlanta community, but we also get to highlight just how handsome, diverse, charming, and sexy the city’s men really are! So here is a lineup of all our picks for Peach of the Week dating back a whole year to feast your eyes on!
Do You Want to Be Peach of the Week?
Are you the next Peach of the Week – or do you know someone who would be a perfect pick for us? Email mikkel@peachatl.com with your nomination and a few photos, and let’s get you in the magazine!
2019
31. Bill Kaelin
Bill moved to Atlanta in 1995 and has been a resident of Midtown ever since. He started his career in the Atlanta nightlife with venues like Fusion, eleven50, and Bazzaar. Today, he owns Bill Kaelin Marketing, a consulting and events agency that represents lifestyle brands like Moxy Hotels, The Atlanta Beltline and luxury apartment communities in Atlanta, Charleston, Asheville, Dallas, and Florida. He enjoys dinners at home with his boyfriend, close friends, and two dogs, Rosie and Harvey. Bill also loves to travel and strives to see much of the world in his future.
IG @bill_kaelin | @billkaelinmktg
32. Paul Gardner
Paul, or Pauly as he prefers to go by, is Illinois born and raised and just recently moved to Atlanta to work and for school. He is a big sports guy and loves both playing and watching – he previously played men’s volleyball in college. He stays active by hiking, fishing, and pretty much anything related to the outdoors. He also loves hanging out with friends while having a few drinks, and he classifies beer as his best buddy in those situations.
IG @sirpaulygee
33. Tang Nguyen
This week’s cover model, Tang, moved from LA to Atlanta in 2014 to pursue his career as a stuntman in film and TV, which includes working on “Black Panther,” “Walking Dead,” “Godzilla,” and “WestWorld” to name a few. He also recently started Midnight Train Productions which promotes parties in the Atlanta nightlife. In his downtime, he characterizes himself as a big geek who has a collection of hundreds of collectible toys, and he loves to participate in cosplay at the annual DragonCon. He works out at least six times a week, and he is the proud parent of two exotic cats.
IG @Catman76
34. Marques Shepheard
Marques is from Montgomery, Alabama, and he has been living in Atlanta for about three years now. He loves staying fit and working out at the gym, and he also enjoys taking walks in the park while listening to music and people-watching. You can also find Marques attending art shows or in art galleries, and when he goes out, he likes to dance like nobody’s watching. He can occasionally suffer from a self-described ‘resting bitch face,’ so people mistakenly assume he is not friendly – but nothing is farther from the truth, so come up and say hey!
IG @jus_simply_livin
35. Vincent Shifflett
Vincent is an Atlanta resident since 2000, and he loves the city and is passionate about the LGBTQ community. He is a registered nurse, published writer, and popular blogger who writes motivational articles on vinceshifflett.com. He is also a musician who loves to play piano and bass guitar. He enjoys outdoor activities, long weekend trips away, and spending time with friends. He also enjoys the occasional international trip and has most recently visited Africa, Iceland, and Amsterdam. In addition, he hosts a monthly discussion group in his Midtown home which has been enlightening and enjoyable for all.
IG @thevinceshifflett | vinceshifflett.com
36. Gullermo Sandoval (Memo)
Guillermo, or as everyone calls him, Memo, is from Mexico and recently moved to Atlanta, where he lives with his husband, Robert. He’s a proud Leatherman who works at Barking Leather inside the Eagle Bar. When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his husband, eating out, watching TV, reading, and working out at the gym. He especially enjoys outdoor running and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, he enjoys the two so much that he decided to combine them; so, once a week, you’ll see him running in the streets of Atlanta while carrying the rainbow flag.
IG @lthrguymx
37. Chris Peng
Chris moved to Atlanta last summer from St. Louis. He is a graduate student at Georgia Tech, working towards his Ph.D. in environmental engineering. Chris loves traveling and has been to 42 states and 15 countries. He stays active by going to the gym, playing rugby with the Atlanta Bucks, and going to the park with his 3-year-old husky pup. He also enjoys playing board games and video games with his fiancé and friends, and a fun night out dancing. He is excited to continue exploring Atlanta and see what this great peachy city has to offer!
IG @thehunkypanda
38. Joshua Morton
Joshua grew up just outside Charlotte and moved out of his NC comfort zone to Atlanta’s Midtown a little over three years ago. Five years ago, Joshua was offered a new perspective on life, as he was chosen to be on Extreme Weight Loss on ABC, and he ultimately lost 180 lbs. in a year. Another significant change at the time was to come out and be proud of who he was. Since moving to Atlanta, he has met a lot of great friends, and he will celebrate his three-year-anniversary with boyfriend Danny at the upcoming Atlanta Pride festival.
IG @joshuaz_morton
39. Eugene Salas
Eugene grew up in Atlanta in a culturally rich Korean-Puerto Rican family, and for the past nine years, he has lived permanently in the city. He works in PR and marketing for beauty brands that are primarily led by Black women and LGBTQ individuals. A longside beauty-focused PR, he’s also helped organize fundraising for nonprofits like Lost-n-Found Youth. Eugene is recently recovering from heart failure, having spent over a month in the hospital for treatment. He is now well and focused on work and restoring his health while exploring the constantly growing city and setting up shop in coffee shops all over Atlanta.
IG @GenieGene_PS
40. Joseph K. Arthur
Joseph is originally from Baton Rouge, but now he lives in Atlanta, where he works as a Director of Rehabilitation. His background is in physical therapy, and he is currently finishing up a master’s in public health because he wants to pursue a career in community health. Joseph likes to go to the gym, travel, and adventurous activities like water rafting, and because he is a Southern Gentleman at heart, he also loves to cook and bake, preferably Creole dishes. Other than that, he is a doggie dad to a mini dachshund, and his favorite holiday is coming up soon – Christmas!
IG @Jarthur80
41. Ike Chinukwue
Ike is originally from Nigeria and has lived in Downtown Atlanta for five years now, where he works as a brand specialist that focuses on web design and graphic design. He enjoys playing video games, exercising, and making art. One of his artistic outlets is photography where he focuses on portraits. You will do yourself a favor for following Ike on Instagram because of all the cool stuff he posts to his story – a mix of pop culture, anime, design, and graphics.
IG @IKEXPASTEL
42. Nick Battaglia
Nick is an Atlanta native who resides in the Highlands and works as a prop designer and set designer for Atlanta’s bustling movie, TV, and theater industry. He also owns his own vintage clothing business, which perfectly reflects his main interest in collecting everything vintage. Even his apartment is a time capsule with almost everything being collectible items from the 50s and 60s. Look up his business Instagram @that_vintage_guy_atlanta, and check out more photos of Nick on his personal Instagram listed below.
IG @black_framed_glasses
43. Humberto Orozco
Humberto is originally from Mexico, and he grew up in Gainesville right here in Georgia. The UGA alum wears many hats, including being the board chair of Latin LinQ – a local nonprofit organization that advances LGBTQ equity for the Latinx LGBTQ community in metro Atlanta. His favorite hobby is traveling the world, but he also enjoys hiking, camping, cycling, and cuddling with his fur kids. He is also a self-labeled foodie and mac-n-cheese connoisseur, and he loves everything red, black, and gold.
IG @_hum13_
44. Sebastian Gibson
Sebastian was born and raised right here in Atlanta! He is a huge fan of all things Auburn University, loves a good dance floor, and, of course, Beyoncé. He’s an IT Consultant and enjoys providing software solutions for associations and non-profits. Sebastian is passionate about LBGTQ+ rights and causes, and in his free time, you can find him at a local restaurant with close friends, or on a run on the beltline.
IG @itsjustseabass
45. Christopher Hall
Christopher is a Realtor with Common Ground Real Estate. He started his career after working as a professional dancer and is now approaching his 4th year as an agent. He still pursues his passion today, and apart from getting a degree in dance at KSU, he was a company member with Staibdance and is also the choreographer to Phoenix from RPDR. In his free time, he likes to sing and play the guitar, and he loves learning languages and traveling as well. He recently became a doggie daddy to a Shi-Poo rescue baby named Ari.
46. Matthew Terrell
Matt’s day job is as communication director for Dad’s Garage Theater here in Atlanta, but he is also a renowned artist known for his works The Hate Shield, Atlanta’s HIV+ Population Now, and We All Live a With HIV (#wealllivewithhiv). He is also a writer for Vice, Slate, HuffPo, et cetera, and he paid for grad school teaching aerobics and pilates. He is currently single but needs a handsome man to help him carry his tripod and 30-pound camera bag in the pursuit of the perfect shot. Noteworthy is that all the photos here are shot on a 35mm medium format vintage camera with no filter.
IG @itsjustmematt
47. Eric Crooks
Eric has lived in Atlanta for 25 years and is originally from Memphis. He is single, and in his mid-fifties, and in borrowing the words of Lizzo, he is feeling “good as hell.” He loves spending time with his family and closest friends which is also owed to the fact that many he grew up with have also made Atlanta their home. Living according to his “sleep when you’re dead” motto, Eric loves music (don’t ask to pick between Kylie, Madonna, or Gaga!), and he has visited 52 countries either traveling with friends or solo.
IG @ELCAtlanta
48. Nitro Hankinson
Photo: Trevor Ott, Li Su
Nitro has lived in Atlanta since 2006, and he has produced kink, leather, and BDSM events in the city since 2008. He has helped create significant kink & fetish events like the Atlanta Leather Pride, Southeast Black and Blue, Hotlanta Rubber and Gear Club, and Leather & Lace ATL. He also enjoys music, movies, and playing video games. He loves spending time with good – perhaps over a good meal as he is a self-proclai med foodie and loves savoring different cuisines.
IG @nitroatl
49. Jay Frandsen
Jay is originally from Monroe, Louisiana, and came to Atlanta to attend the Atlanta College of Art from where he majored in graphic design. He currently works at Dillard’s as a Visual Sales Manager, and has worked as an event, costume, and floral designer as well. His interests include going to the gym, traveling, and almost anything outdoors like bouldering (climbing without a harness and ropes) and kayaking. He also loves going dancing at the club occasionally and hanging out with his friends and boyfriend of a little over a year, Don.
IG @JLFrandsen68
50. Scott White
Originally from Ohio (and a proud OSU Buckeye), Scott has lived in Atlanta for 19 years with his husband, Roger. He owns a consulting company that manages clinical drug trials for the pharmaceutical industry, and before that, he served as a combat medic with the US Army. Scott is an avid runner, and he is currently training for an Ironman Triathlon, and on top of that, he is getting certified to solo skydive. He also loves travel for fun and work, and he has flown over three million miles. There’s absolutely no stopping this handsome 50-year-old!
IG @theoscottwhite
2020
01. Frederico de Freitas Holbrook
The 34-year-old native Brazilian has lived in Atlanta since 2015. He is a dedicated worker who owns his own cleaning company (solucleaners.com), and he also does some product design, which he sells online (fredericoholbrook.com). Furthermore, he works as a bouncer at Blake’s on weekends to stay focused and save some money. He changed a lot of his habits last year, so now he works out 5-6 times a week and will start 2020 with a lot of new health projects. Frederico also loves cooking, and he is looking forward to his second season on the local flag football team.
IG @instaselfing
02. Taylor Powell
Taylor grew up in Palmetto, Georgia, as the youngest of four siblings raised only by his mother, who he is very close to. You may have seen Taylor at Woofs where he works, and he loves working there because of the people he works with and the people he meets. Taylor loves to sing, so you can find him anywhere there’s karaoke sipping a tequila drink. His zodiac is Pisces, which means he loves to swim, and he is very compassionate. As a real social butterfly, another place where you can meet him is on the dancefloor on a Saturday night.
IG @TaylorPowellAtl
03. Dalton Cummings
Dalton was born in Memphis, TN, and grew up in north Mississippi. After earning his degree, he wanted a change of scenery and moved to Atlanta in 2017 to start a job in healthcare technology. He loves it here where he lives and works on the Beltline, and tries to avoid Atlanta traffic by not driving all that much. He also enjoys escaping the city to go on weekend cabin trips in the mountains with friends. Finally, he loves traveling domestically and internationally, and he is currently trying to decide what trips to take – and yes, he is open to suggestions.
IG @daltcummings
04. Jake O’Malley
Jake has lived in Atlanta since 2013, where he relocated from Texas to go to law school, and he is now a socially and professionally active trial attorney. After graduating from Emory Law, he met his husband Jim and his two dogs, Emmit and Cooper. Jake enjoys spending time outdoors with his fur babies, hosting parties with friends at his house in Southeast Atlanta, and dancing the night away (almost) every weekend. He is the oldest of nine(!) kids, and he tries to keep in touch with his enormous family as much as possible.
IG @jake.the.lawyer
05. Jon Kyron
Kyron has lived in Atlanta for 18 years now, and he works as an indirect agent for Verizon. He describes himself as a bit of a flower child and a full-blown humanitarian who likes to take care of others. His self-prescribed medicine is going to the gym to honor his body, and another way he expresses himself physically is being a go-go guru: someone who enjoys connecting with the music and spelling it out through body movements and emotions. Don’t miss out on this flower child’s gorgeous Instagram either!
IG @ok_kyron
06. Gage Roque
As a retired, disabled vet, Gage has lived a lot of life for someone at only 35. He has been constantly on the move relocating every 2-4 years, and before coming to Atlanta for the winter, he was was touring the country in his converted Dodge Sprinter. Now he feels rooted in Atlanta and really enjoys the community and the opportunities the city offers. When he is not on the road, he works for an event company, go-go dancing at queer events that offer the opportunity to normalize transmasc bodies and promote body positivity. Other hobbies include boylesque, fire manipulation, and camping.
IG @engage_onadventures
07. Jonathan Thibeault
Jonathan is originally from Florida but has lived in Atlanta since 2014 where he works as a certified personal trainer at both Equilibrium and Gravity Fitness. He enjoys being active outdoors with his boyfriend and his dog, Noc, which is short for Chief Noc-a-Homa. Although he still likes occasionally going out to the bars, as he’s gotten older, he prefers a game night or a movie night with his friends on the weekends.
IG @teebsinatl
08. Michael Hogan
Photos: @markmorinii
Michael moved to Atlanta three years ago after graduating from Florida State. He currently works as an actuary at a major health insurance company, and he just moved to Cabbagetown. He started drag two years ago as Thin Mint when he entered (and won!) the Mary’s Glitz pageant. Since joining that community of incredible artists, he hosts his own show and performs in other cities. He is terrible at texting back and keeping up with TV shows but great at watching movies and maintaining friendships via face to face contact as the best way to gain perspective and depth.
IG @stanbrogan
09. Julian Dillard
Julian is from a small town in Mississippi but has lived in Atlanta for 27 years. He works for himself as an interior designer and has short-term rentals in Midtown. He enjoys dancing, photography, biking, and traveling, and last year he completed the number one item on his bucket list: visiting all 50 states. Julian likes sharing his personal style, design tips, and dancing on his Instagram, so check it out. He is probably a junk food junkie, but he works out and stays in shape to counterbalance it – and about once a month he enjoys a good Sunday funday!
IG @design_n_dance_on_a_dime
10. Charlie Rehm
Charlie is originally from Alabama, and he graduated from Auburn University in May, 2018. He is coming up on his two-year anniversary in Atlanta where works as an emergency and general practice veterinarian. He enjoys spending time with loved ones, animals, traveling, new experiences, meeting new people, concerts, working out, eating, and a good Netflix series. He is also a proud dog dad, and he has six siblings (Charlie is five out of seven).
IG @aman_andhisduck
11. Slai Ukeme
Slai is originally from Nigeria and has lived in Atlanta for a little over five years now, where he works in healthcare. He enjoys traveling, going to the gym, and making new friends. He also loves hanging out with his group of friends – especially if it includes eating brunch with them.
IG @Slai_ukeme
12. Kalebh Amaral
Kalebh is from Brazil, born in São Paulo. He moved to the U.S. two years ago to achieve his goals and grow professionally, and he now works in Atlanta as a nurse that specializes in urgency, emergency, and pediatrics. He loves animals and making new friends, and he tries to make people happy by simply helping them out. Kalebh also loves to travel, and his favorite place is on the beach feeling the warmth of the sun.
IG @kalebh_
13. Tom Capitano
While originally from New York City, Tom has been a resident of Atlanta most of his life and works in research administration at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently lives in Midtown with his fur child, Toby. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, biking, hitting the gym, jogging, watching movies, and spending quality time with friends and family. He also enjoys traveling and volunteering with various non-profits. Never meeting a stranger, you’ll likely see Tom smiling, nodding, or speaking to everyone he passes throughout the day. Tom lives by the mantra that a smile or hello goes a long way.
IG @tomcapitano
14. Nick England
Nick was born and raised in the metro Atlanta area and now resides in the Edgewood/Candler Park neighborhood. He has worked as a critical care nurse for seven years and will hopefully continue to the nurse anesthesia program next year. He currently works at Emory University Hospital in the CCU and Resurgens Surgical Center in the PACU. Although it has been stressful due to the ongoing crisis, Nick soldiers on to keep his promise of caring for others and save lives. When this is all over, he will frequent as many Deep South events as possible!
IG @atlnick
15. Nathaniel Hodges
Nathaniel is a Georgia native, he works for Salesforce, and he is married to Conal Charles. In his spare time, he is deeply involved with the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus, where he is not only a member but holds the position of Vice-Chair for both the men’s chorus and the Atlanta Women’s Chorus (voicesofnote.org). He is also a founding member of Atlanta Ho Sho (hoshoatlanta.com) – Atlanta’s only live-singing, choreographed drag troupe whose live shows are as raunchily hilarious as they are popular. His current favorite quarantine pastime is planning one hell-of-a vacation for when this is all over!
IG @natto78
16. Steven Salazar
Steven was born and raised in Gainesville, and he moved to Atlanta three years ago after graduating from Piedmont College with a degree in sports science. He works as a medical assistant, and in his spare time, he loves to spend time with family and friends and to work out as a way to reflect on himself. He also enjoys traveling to beautiful beaches around the world, and he volunteers for Joining Hearts and Fulton county’s StopHIVATL campaign as well. You will likely always catch Steven with a smile, living life, and eager to try new things.
IG @e_s_t_e_b_a_ns
17. Justin Kelley
Justin is a Georgia native, and he currently resides with his mother, for whom he is a caretaker, in a queer household in Edgewood. Although Justin is reasonably independent and introverted, he does have a flair for showy looks when he goes out mostly to Deep South events and Mary’s. Besides creating looks, other hobbies include gardening, biking, nature, sewing, and swimming. Justin also has a strong affinity for those who have paved the way for the more open life we can all live now, so, during Pride, he often holds something in remembrance of LGBTQ family lost.
IG @JayleeKeylee
18. Doug Munster
Doug is from Syracuse, New York, but has lived in Atlanta since 2004. He has a degree from an upstate New York college in business and tourism management, and he works for ATT in supply chain as a buyer. He is the co-President of the board of directors of a Georgia nonprofit, which helps families complete their adoption process, and he is also the creator of the Adopted By You 5K and Fun Run. Family means everything to Doug, and he loves spending time with his husband, his two amazing children, Sawyer (5) and Shepherd (2), and his extended family.
IG @realmoderndads
19. Markus Fletcher
Markus is a military child from Pensacola, F lorida. He moved to Atlanta from Warner Robins in 2008 for culinary school (Art Institute Atlanta), and today, he manages Fresh To Order Midtown – a company he has been with for 12 years. He is obsessed with Halloween all year long, and he also enjoys doing drag under the name Marcella Redd, who is a former Armorette. You can also catch Markus, aka Marcella, at Midtown Moon; Wednesday nights for Birdcage Bingo and Sunday for brunch and the Heifer Review.
IG @markus_fletch
20. Bradley Johnson
Bradley is pretty new to Atlanta. He moved here in March of 2019 after completing his Theatre Performance and English degree from Florida State University. Originally from Royal Palm Beach, Florida, Bradley lives in Midtown and works at Orange Theory on Peachtree Street. His true passion is on the stage, and you may have seen him performing around town since he moved here. If you haven’t, you can see him in the iconic The Boys in the Band at Out Front Theatre Company soon!
IG @bradley_t_j
21. Jacob McKee
Jacob is an out and proud bisexual/queer cis boy who was Florida-born but Georgia-raised. He identifies as an actor and an aspiring filmmaker/producer and has worked at theaters around Atlanta, like Serenbe Playhouse, Actor’s Express, Syncronicity Theatre, and he will soon be seen in The Boys in the Band at Out Front Theatre Company. He loves watching movies and saw 44 newly released films in 2019 (coming close to his all-time record being 59 films in 2018)!
IG @yakobmckee
22. Joey Brakefield
Joey is a Nashville native, and he moved to Atlanta in 2018. He works for Microsoft helping academic medical centers like Vanderbilt, Emory, etc. move their research and clinical work into Microsoft’s cloud platform called Azure. He describes himself as a huge geek whose gears get grindin’ over sci-fi, historical fiction, and Rick and Morty. So far, his life in Atlanta has been relatively low-key, but after this lockdown and pandemic are over, he is ready to extend his roots and build his next chapter in Atlanta.
IG @kfprugger
23. Christopher Gonzalez
Chris keeps very active within the community. You may recognize him Woofs and Heretic, but the Wake Forest University graduate is also an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. He currently holds the title of Mr. World Cub 2019/2020, and he is also the organizer of Bear Yoga, which he has been teaching for seven years, including at various bear events around the country and virtually throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a fierce advocate for body, gender, and racial inclusivity and equity in the gay community, and he volunteers a lot of time with nonprofits to raise money and awareness for our community.
IG @chris_glc
IG @dancingcub
24. Eric Maxwell
Eric was born in Germany but mostly grew up in Columbus, Georgia. He moved to Atlanta (Sandy Springs) in 2012 but currently lives in Old Fourth Ward. He loves to get involved in the local community and celebrate what makes Atlanta unique: local restaurants, publications, from food banks helping folks during the COVID-19 pandemic, to Pride, OutWorlders, to local talent, to Black Lives Matter. Anything to boost the voice of our community. Eric describes himself as a shy introvert, but he’s always out partying and meeting people – he may not come up and introduce himself, but feel free to approach him!
IG @ericpop27
25. David Sihwail
David is a proud Middle Eastern man who was born in Dallas, Texas, but now lives in Atlanta. He works as a server at an upscale fine-dining establishment in the city, and he has been a member of the Hotlanta softball league since 2016. He loves going on long hikes, camping, and he is a great dancer too. He is also a great baker and likes coming up with original desserts. Another passionate hobby is to review movies and music on social media platforms, and a huge future goal for him is to become an entertainment review critic.
26. Hawk Young
Hawk is coming up on his two-year anniversary living in Atlanta. He graduated from UGA in May 2018 with an Advertising degree and moved to Atlanta a few months later. Currently, he works as a bartender and server at Pure Taqueria in Inman Park, but always keeps his eyes peeled for opportunities life could bring. You would normally find Hawk on a dancefloor enjoying lasers and bass; since quarantine, you’ll just find him playing video games and cuddling with his cat, Baby. Send him a dad joke on insta; he’ll love it!
IG @cacaw93
27. Grif Murray
Grif characterizes himself as a bit shy, but after the initial shyness is gone, he engages with everyone. He loves a good one-n-one conversation, and his friends appreciate him for being a good listener. Art is one of his favorite hobbies besides the gym and being outdoors. He loves seeing people express themselves through art, and his own artistic talent also landed him the job as the graphic designer of the latest edition of GOLIATH Magazine, which is out now. You can check out his art – along with some impressive modeling – on his Instagram!
IG @grifmurray
28. Kenan Holland
Kenan is a Southern California native, but he has resided in Vinings, Georgia, for the past 12 years. He lives with his amazing husband, Michael a ka Big Daddy, and they are the proud grandpas of their first grandchild, Charlotte. He loves the community in Atlanta but also feels that is our chance and time to prove that love over everything else can win. So, Kenan’s message is simple but powerful: Love one another and protect each other.
IG @hollandkenan