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Arts & Entertainment

Best of Gay D.C. 2013: Nightlife

Blade readers choose their favorite clubs, parties, monthly events and more

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Best of Gay D.C., nightlife, gay news, Washington Blade
Best of Gay D.C., Freddie's Beach Bar, Best Outside District Bar, gay news, Washington Blade

Freddie’s Beach Bar (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best outside-D.C. bar: Freddie’s Beach Bar
555 23rd Street
South Arlington, Va.
703-685-0555

Runner-up: Club Hippo (Baltimore)

Best of Gay D.C., Blue Moon, Rehoboth Beach, Best Rehoboth Bar, gay news, Washington Blade

Blue Moon (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Rehoboth bar: Blue Moon
35 Baltimore Ave.
Rehoboth Beach, Del.
302-227-6515

Runner-up: Rehoboth Ale House

Best of Gay D.C., Number Nine, Best Place to Meet Men, Best Happy Hour, gay news, Washington Blade

Number Nine (Washington Blade photo by Lee Whitman)

Best happy hour:
Best place to meet men:
Number 9
1435 P Street, N.W.
202-986-0999

Runner-up for both: Cobalt

Best drag show: Big Bang Bingo at Mellow Mushroom
2436 18th Street, N.W.
202-290-2778
mellowmushroom.com

Runner-up: Ziegfeld’s

Best place to meet women: glittHER by V Spot D.C.
1807 4th St., N.W.

Dancing won’t feel right again without being covered in glitter.V Spot D.C.’s glittHER dance parties infuse great music, glitter, dancing and did we mention glitter? All while mingling with local ladies. (MC)

Runner-up: BARE by LURe at Cobalt

Best of Gay D.C., Best Gay-Friendly Straight Bar, gay news, Washington Blade

Stoney’s (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best gay-friendly straight bar: Stoney’s
1433 P Street, N.W.
202-234-1818

Runner-up: Brixton

Best live music: 9:30 Club
815 V Street, N.W.
202-265-0930

Runner-up: Black Cat

Best neighborhood bar: JR.’s Bar & Grill
1519 17th Street, N.W.
202-328-0090

Runner-up: Nellie’s Sports Bar

Hottest stripper or gogo dancer:
Christian Lezzil

By day he’s a graduate student with one semester left to earn his master’s in literature. By night, Christian Lezzil strips at Secrets.

Having done some modeling during his time in Virginia Beach — he came to D.C. about a year ago — Lezzil says dancing nude, initially at the behest of a drag queen friend, was a lark. He says in addition to paying for grad school, it’s had an unexpected benefit — it’s given him plenty of material for his writing. He has two books — “Crimson & Caramel” and “The Maniac in the Coffee Shop” — out (written under his real name, Eddie Generazio).

“It started with a student body competition in Virginia Beach,” Lezzil says. “Somebody said I should enter and I just thought, ‘Hell, why not? I’m not doing anything else.’ I was waiting to hear back from my graduate school application. … I was looking for some kind of alternative lifestyle-type of thing to do and I just thought, ‘Well, what’s more alternative than dancing in a male revue?’ There’s a lot of poetry in there and it just kind of started taking off after I arrived in D.C. I got so much material, my second book kind of wrote itself.”

The 23-year-old bi Virginia native, Lezzil (a stage name) says he enjoys the irony of stripping and writing. He says many of his colleagues at Secrets are also smart, though some try to hide it. He views his Best Of Gay D.C. award as a validation of sorts.

“Maybe I’m just a jerk and I’m inflating it, but I think of it as a kind of performance art,” he says.

(JD)

Best of Gay D.C., Christian Lezzil, Hottest Stripper, Secrets, gay news, Washington Blade

Christian Lezzil (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Runner-up: Ben Reznik

Best men’s party: CTRL at Cobalt
Last Saturday of the month
1639 R Street, N.W.
202-232-4416

Runner-up: Bear Happy Hour at Town

Best of Gay D.C., BARE, LURe, Cobalt, Best Women's Party, gay news, Washington Blade

BARE by the Ladies of LURe at Cobalt. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best women’s party: BARE by LURe at Cobalt
Third Saturday of the month
1639 R Street, N.W.
202-232-4416

Runner-up: glittHER by V Spot D.C.

Best of Gay D.C., best Alternative Party, Gay/Bash, Joshua Vogelsong, gay news, Washington Blade

Joshua Vogelsong of the Black Cat’s Gay/Bash. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best alt party: Gay/Bash! at Black Cat
Next event: Oct. 26
1811 14th Street, N.W.
202-667-4490

Runner-up: Mixtape

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Photos

PHOTOS: Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch

LGBTQ politicians gather for annual event

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Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) speaks at the 2025 Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Music & Concerts

Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

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Singer Tom Goss is back. (Photo by Dusti Cunningham)

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co. 

Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.

For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.

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Calendar

Calendar: May 2-8

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, May 2

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, May 3

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc

Sunday, May 4

“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Monday, May 5

“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Tuesday, May 6

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected]

Wednesday, May 7

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected]

Thursday, May 8

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.

South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected]

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