Arts & Entertainment
Best of Gay D.C. 2017: COMMUNITY
Winners from the Washington Blade’s annual poll
Best Art Gallery
Phillips Collection
A Washington institution founded in 1921. Last yearās runner-up in this category.
1600 21st St., N.W.
Editorās choice: LongView Gallery
Best Adult Store
Bite the Fruit
Second consecutive win in this category!
1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Editorās choice: Lotus Blooms
Best Car Dealership
DARCARS
New and used cars at locations in Suitland, Temple Hills, Silver Spring, Md. et. al.
Editorās choice: BMW of Fairfax
Best Apartment/Condo Building
Atlantic Plumbing
Second consecutive win in this category!
2112 8th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: F1RST Residences
Best Doctor/Medical Provider: Dr. Robyn Zeiger
Runner-up: Dr. Ray Martins, Whitman-Walker Health
Dr. Robyn Zeiger is a licensed clinical professional counselor in D.C., Maryland and West Virginia specializing in LGBT issues and pet loss.
Zeiger, who is married to Best Real Estate runner-up Stacey Williams-Zeiger, deals with issues surrounding homophobia, coming out, grief and addictions. She also has begun focusing on servicing the transgender community.
She says being able to relate with your therapist gives a familiarity that makes it easier to be vulnerable in sessions.
āYou walk into a therapistās office and you know they are also LGBT so you donāt have to explain anything. You donāt have to teach them. You can just be yourself and you donāt have to justify anything,ā Zeiger, runner-up in this category last year, says.
In addition to counseling, Zeiger is an adjunct senior lecturer at University of Maryland where she teaches in the Department of Family Science. She also teaches her self-created course, āExploring Homophobia: Demystifying LGBT Issues,ā for the Honors College. (MC)
Dr. Robyn Zeiger
10300 Sweetbriar Pkwy.
Silver Spring, Md.
Best Fitness or Workout Spot
Soulcycle
A Best of Gay D.C. surprise win ā VIDA Fitness won the seven previous consecutive years.
2301 M St., N.W.
601 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
1935 14th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: VIDA Fitness
Best Gayborhood
Shaw
Second consecutive win in this category!
Editorās choice: Logan Circle (last yearās runner up)
Best Hardware Store
Logan Ace Hardware
1734 14th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Annieās Ace Hardware
Best Home Furnishings
Miss Pixieās Furnishings & Whatnot
Also won this award 2012-2015. Snags it back this year from Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams.
1626 14th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Room & Board
Best Home Improvement Service
Case Design
āFull-service home remodelers building your dreams.ā
Editorās choice: The Organizing Agency
Best Hotel
The W
Third consecutive win in this category!
515 15th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Dupont Circle Hotel
Best House of Worship
Empowerment Liberation Cathedral
Third consecutive win. Foundry United Methodist had dominated the category for several previous years.
633 Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring
240-720-7605
empowermentliberationcathedral.org
Editorās choice: All Souls Unitarian (also last yearās runner-up)
Best Lawyer
Glen Ackerman
Ackerman Brown PLLC
2101 L St., N.W., no. 440
Runner-up: Michele Zavos
Best LGBT Social Group
Stonewall Sports
Editorās choice: Impulse D.C.
Best LGBT Support Group
SMYAL
Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders
Third consecutive win in this category!
410 7th St., S.E.
Editorās choice: The D.C. Center
BestĀ LGBT Sports League
Stonewall Kickball (last yearās runner-up)
Editorās choice: D.C. Frontrunners
Best LGBT-Owned Business
Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar
Editorās Choice: Best Bus
Three Fifty Bakery is, in a word, darling. In 2014, just after it opened, owner Jimmy Hopper said in a Washington Blade interview that some day that heād ālike to win a readersā poll prize for the bakery.ā
So, congratulations, Jimmy ā and itās a well-deserved honor. The bright space has become a neighborhood favorite in just a scant few years, serving up smaller quantities of freshly baked goods, from cinnamon-laced bundt cakes drizzled with icing to coma-inducing fudgy brownies to zucchini bread.
The fact that Three Fifty doesnāt overproduce means that each bite really does taste fresh, and that makes all the difference when youāre indulging in a treat. Working out is overrated, but freshly-baked coconut cake is not. (KH)
Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar
1926 17th St., N.W.
Most LGBT-friendly Workplace
Whitman-Walker Health
1525 14th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Town, Trade and Number Nine
Best LGBT Event
Capital Pride Celebration
Editorās choice: SMYAL Fall Brunch
Best Museum
National Museum of African-American History and Culture
1400 Constitution Ave., N.W.
Editorās choice: Hirshorn
Best Non-Profit
SMYAL
Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders
410 7th St., S.E.
Editorās choice: Latino GLBT History Project
Best Private School
Maret School
A coed, K-12 independent school founded in 1911.
3000 Cathedral Ave., N.W.
Editorās choice: Barrie
Best Pet Business
Doggy Style Bakery, Boutique & Pet Spa
1642 R St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Dogma Day Care
Best Place to Buy Second-hand Stuff
Miss Pixieās Furnishings and Whatnot
Third consecutive win in this category!
1626 14th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Buffalo Exchange (last yearās runner-up)
Best Movie Theater
Landmark Theaters Atlantic Plumbing
New releases plus indie fare, foreign and avant garde.
807 V St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Landmark Theaters E Street Cinema
Best Rehoboth Business
r Squared Design
39 Baltimore Ave.
Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Editorās choice: Blue Moon
Best Salon/Spa
Logan 14
Second consecutive win in this category!
1314 14th St., N.W.
Editor’s Choice: Salon Quency
Best Short-Term Car Service
Car2Go
Editorās choice: Zip Car
Best Staycation Getaway
MGM National Harbor
101 MGM national Ave.
Oxon Hill, Md.
Editorās choice: Discover Easton
Best Tattoo Parlor
Tattoo Paradise
2444 18th St., N.W.
Editorās choice: Fattyās Tattoos
Best Theater
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Third consecutive win in this category!
2700 F St., N.W.
Editor’s Choice: Studio Theatre
Best Theater Production
āWig Out!ā at Studio Theatre
Editorās Choice: āHedwig and the Angry Inchā at the Kennedy Center
Best Vet
CityPaws Animal Hospital
Third consecutive win in this category!
1823 14th St., N.W.
Editor’s Choice: District Veterinary Hospital
To see winners in other categories in the Washington Bladeās Best of Gay D.C. 2017 Awards, click here.
Movies
Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells want to adopt baby in ‘I Don’t Understand You’
Film premiered at SXSW in Austin
Editor’s note: Jack Morningstar attended SXSW in Austin, Texas.
“I Don’t Understand You” focuses on a couple whose romantic Italian getaway devolves into bloody chaos while they prepare to adopt their first child.Ā
The film, while veering into hilariously gruesome hijinks, tells the story of a gay couple who is willing to kill for a chance at fatherhood. It sheds light on the hurdles that same-sex couples often go through in the adoption process: Financial burdens, time constraints, fraud, and in this case, a rural Italian family.
The film premiered last weekend at SXSW in Austin and stars Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells along with Nunzia Schiano, Morgan Spector and Eleonora Romandini. It was written and directed by Brian Crano and David Craig, who are married. They sourced inspiration from their own adoption struggles and an Italian vacay gone wrong.
āWe were about to leave for Italy when we found out that we had matched with a birth mother and our son would be born in about six weeks,ā said Crano.
According to Craig, the trip was tense and it culminated in their car getting stuck in a ditch on their way to an anniversary dinner.
āWe ended up at an old ladyās house after she rescued us in her Fiat. Her family cooked us a meal and we stayed up drinking with them until 3 a.m., not understanding a word they were saying,ā he said.
Without spoiling anything, the couple in the movie go to absurd lengths to ensure that their adoption goes through. Craig explained that the theme of the movie was “what would you do for your kid.”Ā
“We were three years into our own journey at the time and realized we would literally do anything to make that dream a reality. Itās really a love letter to our son,ā he said.
The film is hard to relegate to a single genre.
āWhen conceiving the story, we saw it as different parts ā romantic comedy, horror movie, murder play ā but I think by bringing in Nick and Andrew that blend actually became much more of an organic mix where the comedy sustained throughout. They elevated it in a more elegant fashion,ā said Craig.
“I Donāt Understand You”was produced by Pinky Promise, a women-led production company with the mission to elevate diverse voices in their storytelling. Kara Durrett, Pinky Promiseās current president was a champion of this script from the beginning. Founder Jessamine Burgum recounts that when Durrett was onboarding, she said āIf you donāt get [“I Donāt Understand You”] I donāt know if this is going to work.ā
It ultimately became one of the first projects Burgum and Durrett collaborated on.Ā
Kroll and Rannellsā chemistry carried the film.
āThere was a desire to work with each of them because they had both separately been in such amazing comedian teams ā like Andrew with Josh Gad and Nick with John Mulaney. Nick and Andrewās characters are in almost every scene of the movie together, so they needed to be adept to basically doing a shared performance. There was no one more well-positioned to do this as naturally as possible,ā said Crano.
Their characters are easy to root for, yet also deeply flawed.
āA big thing we wanted to do with this movie, and with all of our work in telling stories, is avoid telling a cliched gay trauma film. Weāve never ascribed to the idea that there is a subcategory to film that is LGBTQ, rather ā movies are for everyone. We want to make a movie where gay characters are flawed, not for being gay, but because of who they are. They can be villains, but they are our protagonists,ā said Craig.
Out & About
Celebrate spring with these D.C.-area events
Galas, Cherry Weekend, Pride, and more on tap
Temperatures outside are starting to rise and the sun is shining again. Hereās a list of upcoming D.C. events that can make enjoying the good weather even that much more thrilling.
Cherry Weekend Washington begins on Thursday, April 4. The Cherry weekend is a spectacular and joyous event held over four days featuring 16 world renowned DJs, nine different events and four fun daytime parties.
3rd Friday Night Open Mic will take place on Thursday, March 15 at 9 p.m. at the Bus Boys and Poets location in Brookland. This event will be hosted by Mariah Barber (they/she), a queer storyteller, consultant, spoken word artist, and activist who has been creating social justice-oriented art for the last 15 years. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
RuPaulās Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby will bring her Sasha Colby: Stripped Tour to the Howard Theatre on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased on the Howard Theatreās website.Ā
Decades DC returns with Throwback Thursdays on Thursday, March 14 at 10 p.m. This event will have an open air rooftop and the first drink is on the house. Entry is free until midnight and more details are available on Eventbrite.Ā
Skin and Wellness Center will host Equinox Celebration on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at 929 W. Broad St. This event will involve movement, breath work, meditation and community connection to celebrate the spring equinox and embrace energies of rebirth, fertility, creativity, balance, and expansive growth for mind, body, and spirit. Tickets cost $28.52 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Models Inc. will host The Front Row! Fashion Show on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre. This is the ultimate destination for designers seeking to showcase their talent and brand. This exclusive event provides a platform to promote artistry and visions, featuring various artists, creatives, fashion enthusiasts, models, stylists, and visionaries. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Spring Bling Adult Prom will be on Friday, April 26 at 8 p.m. at Graces Event Center. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite spring colors and show up for a night of dancing, food and fun.Tickets cost $92.55 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
TSR Productions will host Spring Salsa Bash on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. at The Salsa Room Tysons. This event will feature Hermanos Galvan and Orquesta live in concert playing the best salsa, bachata, and merengue. There will also be top DJs playing the best in Latin trap, urbana, reggaetton. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
We Will Survive Cancer will host Spring Fling Cocktail & Dance Party on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Whino. This event will be hosted by DJ Steve. Tickets cost $25 and all proceeds are donated to cancer patients. More details are on Eventbrite.
Chase Brexton Health Care hosts its 2024 Gala at the Baltimore Museum of Art, with the theme centered around the NEW Roaring ā20s on Saturday, March 30. Details at chasebrexton.org.Ā
CAMP Rehobothās annual Womenās FEST is scheduled for April 25-28. Lea DeLaria will headline with Crys Matthews opening. Visit camprehoboth.org for details.
Trans Pride Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Saturday, May 18. The full day of conference activities will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Visit transpridewashingtondc.org for details.
The Bladeās 17th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach is scheduled for Friday, May 17; details to be announced soon.
D.C.ās 49th annual Pride celebration kicks off May 31-June 9, culminating with the parade and festival. Visit capitalpride.org for details. The annual Pride on the Pier with fireworks celebration is slated for Saturday, June 8, 2-9 p.m. at the Wharf. Visit prideonthepierdc.com for details.
The Tryst Puerto Vallarta begins welcoming discerning gay guests this spring, just in time for the Mexican resort city’s Pride celebrations.
The 55-room resort includes a penthouse suite featuring two terraces, three large suites with expansive living areas and terraces and several junior suites with unique features. A highly anticipated rooftop pool with a bar area and restaurant offering fine Mexican cuisine are just some of the highlights.
āYou can stay here and never leave the resort,ā said Tristan Schukraft, the driving force behind Tryst Hotels, and self-described CEO of “everything gay.”
While he started out in his career working in the early days of electronic ticketing, Schukraft may be more known for his work with MISTR, a popular online source for PrEP. He also recently entered into an agreement to purchase the Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif.
With Tryst he promises “itās a fun, exciting atmosphere.”
“The idea is not just the guests are coming to the resort, but locals,” said Schukraft. “So, when you stay here itās the way to mingle with the local gay community.ā
To welcome and include both guests and locals, the resort will host drag brunches in the hotel restaurant. Weekend parties featuring DJs on the eighth floor pool and bar area also seeks to make this not just a place to stay, but one to celebrate with the community.
Schukraft hopes visitors will get to know guests or locals poolside, or in the restaurant, and make lifelong friendships.
Or perhaps find a bit of romance: After all the hotel is set in the famed Zona RomƔntica.
āTryst Hotels are not merely luxury destinations; they are a celebration of gay culture, where every guest is embraced,” said Schukraft. “Our mission is to create spaces where luxury and identity flourish without compromise.ā
The D.C. Travel and Adventure Show took place last month in D.C., and LGBTQ-specific travel was among the topics the convention highlighted. The Washington Blade in its preview of the expo noted LGBTQ travelers may book a resort or vacation that promises “everyone is welcome,” but upon arrival feel uncomfortable by reactions of staff or other guests due to expressing their identity as queer people.
Schukraft has experienced this.
āI was at a hetero-friendly hotel Miami, but it was also marketed to gay men,” he explained. “So, you have two guys kissing at the pool and you have a straight couple looking over and wondering are they staying at a gay hotel. Itās sort of an awkward occurrence.ā
Everyone, therefore, is welcome at Tryst resorts, but it is not being marketed outside of the community.
āMy boyfriends and I have even experienced side-eye glances for our choice of swimwear,” Schukraft said. “You wonāt find that at Tryst Hotels.ā
Speaking of attire: Many luxury guesthouses, inns and hotels catering to gay men offer clothing-optional zones for guests. Itās an allure for some travelers.
But, not at Tryst.
āDonāt get me wrong, clothing optional resorts are fun, but thatās not our concept. Our concept is a luxurious, inclusive resort,ā Schukraft said with a touch of elan apropos for the “CEO of everything gay.” āOf course wear your thongs [and] Speedos.ā
Tryst Puerto Vallarta and Tryst San Juan in Puerto Rico, which is slated to open in 2025, are being marketed as gay-owned, gay-focused resorts with luxurious offerings and amenities. Many resorts known to epitomize luxury may be seen as slightly conservative or āstuffy.ā
Luxury promises not to come only in the form of superior bedding, bathrobes, slippers and skincare products, but also in the stunning interiors.
The Puerto Vallarta property engaged the same studio known for their acclaimed work at the Four Seasons Tamarindo. Designers from Estudio Esterlina bring a refined mix of minimalism, modernism and Mexican.Ā
āWhy canāt you have fun and luxury in the same space? Here, you let your hair down by the pool, enjoy a pool party, a fine Mexican meal in our full-service restaurant, a drag brunch on weekends and socialize with new friends all while feeling safe,” Schukraft said. “Our goal is to show luxury doesnāt have to mean stuffy.ā