a&e features
New in Rehoboth
Our annual beach preview, from a beach smoking ban to Matt Haley’s latest hotspot

The long-range summer forecast from the Farmer’s Almanac predicts 2014 will be one of the hottest summers in the past decade, so expect people to head out to Rehoboth Beach in droves in the months ahead.
For those who do, some things may look a little different as a number of changes have come to the shops, restaurants and businesses in the gay-friendly beach resort town.
One difference is that smoking will no longer be allowed on the beach and only on a few designated areas on the boardwalk. While this may prove unpopular with some beachgoers, Rehoboth was the last holdout of Delaware’s major ocean resorts to ban smoking and City Commissioner Stan Mills was determined to make it happen.
First Street Station is being renovated for the first time since it went up nearly 20 years ago, with approximately 4,500 square feet of the northeast side of the building being demolished to make way for three new retail sites. Saying “so long” to the original space are Gallery Espresso and Maggio Shields Real Estate Café. Three new stores will occupy the new space — all with street-entry access.
Other renovations to First Street Station include the addition of a new roof, the installation of an HVAC system and the removal of the front catwalk, allowing a clear view to the courtyard.
Dance club Dive has opened at the site of the once-popular L Bar at 622 Rehoboth Ave.
“Yes, we are a ‘dive bar,’ but we consider ourselves a classy one,” says Christian Randolph, general manager of the new establishment and a former bartender at L Bar. “We are an ‘everybody bar’ and welcome anyone. We really see this as someplace that will be a favorite among the Rehoboth faithful.”
According to Patty Burkentine, membership representative for the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, there are a number of new businesses and restaurants opening this summer.
Perhaps the most anticipated new restaurant of the season is Papa Grande’s Coastal Taqueria at Wilmington Ave., owned by Matt Haley who just won the James Beard Foundation’s 2014 Humanitarian of the Year award. Haley owns several popular restaurants in the area, including Lupo di Mare. Papa Grande’s will feature salads, tacos, quesadillas and more and is scheduled to open this month.
Cellar Door replaces Debacle at 20 Baltimore Ave., offering Southern cuisine with a Creole twist, according to the indispensible Rehoboth Foodie. The SandCrab Beach Bar will hold its grand opening on May 23 at 1 Baltimore Ave., situated on the ocean side of the Atlantic Sands Hotel and Conference Center, and boasting a swimming pool and sun deck.
The family-owned Ambrosia Restaurant & Wine Bar opened at 19 Wilmington Ave., and offers Italian and American cuisines; Otto’s Sandwich Shop serves up Philly-style subs at 4 North First St.; and Nonna’s Sweet Treats is taking over the Rehoboth Avenue spot next to Nicola’s that was last occupied by Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, to dish out ice cream and delectable treats.
After several attempts, the Dewey Beer and Food Co., was granted permission to open a new brewpub at the site of the former Bubba’s Grill on Route 1, and it will be up and running in time for summer.
Changes have come to some old favorites as well.
The former Cloud 9, a beloved LGBT restaurant and lounge that closed in the fall of 2012, will find its home at 234 Rehoboth Ave., occupied by Lula Brazil, a new coastal Brazilian restaurant and Latin-flavor dance club, owned by Meg Hudson (a former partner in Wilmington’s Domaine Hudson).
Meanwhile, the Greene Turtle will find a second home on the beach at 52 Rehoboth Ave., once the home of Irish Eyes, which closed after 27 years in Rehoboth.
Specialty stores are abundant with Burkentine listing nearly three-dozen new shops opening up. Among them are the Olive Orchard, with owners Roy and Laura Eckrote bringing a fine selection of infused oils, a variety of balsamic vinegars and honey; Blooming Boutique at 216 Rehoboth Ave., owned by Michiko Seto, and offering shoes, handbags and other apparel items; and the jewelry store Shore Silver opening at 149 Rehoboth Ave., by the Gambacorta family with a mission statement that reads, “Shore Silver will do its very best to provide quality, affordable jewelry that will make you look good at prices that will make you feel good.”
Another newcomer is Miss Pixies By the Sea, a vintage store offering hard-to-find items at 40 Baltimore Ave. It’s a sister store to the D.C. location, a staple of the burgeoning 14th Street corridor.
“You never know what interesting item you’re going to find,” says owner Pixie Windsor, who offers a laundry list of things like carnival ride seats, matchbox cars, vintage glassware and old toys. “You may find something that brings back an old memory or discover something that will lead to a new one.”
Across the street at 39 Baltimore Ave. is the fabulous gay-owned R Squared home and design store featuring stylish décor and interior design services.
No car to get to Rehoboth? No problem. The upscale bus service DC2NY has changed its name to BestBus but the amenities remain top-notch: free Wi-Fi, bottled water, power outlets at each seat, movies and more. Visit bestbus.com for rates and schedules to Rehoboth.
Several events will be sponsored by CAMP Rehoboth, the local LGBT community center, which is celebrating its 24th anniversary. There’s the Black & White Beach Ball on May 31, a cruise party on July 18 and the popular Sundance Auction on Aug. 30 and Sundance party on Aug. 31.
Of course, the main two beaches that attract an LGBT crowd are Poodle Beach at the south end of the boardwalk and Gordon’s Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park, north of town.
And many gay-friendly Rehoboth staples are open for the 2014 season, including Blue Moon (35 Baltimore Ave.), where “Queen of Rehoboth” Pamala Stanley opens the season on May 25; Aqua Grill (57 Baltimore Ave.), which opens May 16; Purple Parrot (134 Rehoboth Ave.), where the always-fun Biergarten is also open; Dos Locos (208 Rehoboth Ave.), with its awesome margaritas; and Café Azafran (18 Baltimore Ave.) and its incomparable, tres chic bartender Holly Lane.

Drinks at Dos Locos (Photo courtesy Dos Locos)
a&e features
Visit Cambridge, a ‘beautiful secret’ on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
New organization promotes town’s welcoming vibe, LGBTQ inclusion

CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Driving through this scenic, historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, you’ll be charmed by streets lined with unique shops, restaurants, and beautifully restored Victorian homes. You’ll also be struck by the number of LGBTQ Pride flags flying throughout the town.
The flags are a reassuring signal that everyone is welcome here, despite the town’s location in ruby red Dorchester County, which voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a lopsided margin. But don’t let that deter you from visiting. A new organization, Proudly Cambridge, is holding its debut Pride event this weekend, touting the town’s welcoming, inclusive culture.
“We stumbled on a beautiful secret and we wanted to help get the word out,” said James Lumalcuri of the effort to create Proudly Cambridge.
The organization celebrates diversity, enhances public spaces, and seeks to uplift all that Cambridge has to share, according to its mission statement, under the tagline “You Belong Here.”
The group has so far held informal movie nights and a picnic and garden party; the launch party is June 28 at the Cambridge Yacht Club, which will feature a Pride celebration and tea dance. The event’s 75 tickets sold out quickly and proceeds benefit DoCo Pride.
“Tickets went faster than we imagined and we’re bummed we can’t welcome everyone who wanted to come,” Lumalcuri said, adding that organizers plan to make “Cheers on the Choptank” an annual event with added capacity next year.
One of the group’s first projects was to distribute free Pride flags to anyone who requested one and the result is a visually striking display of a large number of flags flying all over town. Up next: Proudly Cambridge plans to roll out a program offering affirming businesses rainbow crab stickers to show their inclusiveness and LGBTQ support. The group also wants to engage with potential visitors and homebuyers.
“We want to spread the word outside of Cambridge — in D.C. and Baltimore — who don’t know about Cambridge,” Lumalcuri said. “We want them to come and know we are a safe haven. You can exist here and feel comfortable and supported by neighbors in a way that we didn’t anticipate when we moved here.”

Lumalcuri, 53, a federal government employee, and his husband, Lou Cardenas, 62, a Realtor, purchased a Victorian house in Cambridge in 2021 and embarked on an extensive renovation. The couple also owns a home in Adams Morgan in D.C.
“We saw the opportunity here and wanted to share it with others,” Cardenas said. “There’s lots of housing inventory in the $300-400,000 range … we’re not here to gentrify people out of town because a lot of these homes are just empty and need to be fixed up and we’re happy to be a part of that.”
Lumalcuri was talking with friends one Sunday last year at the gazebo (affectionately known as the “gayzebo” by locals) at the Yacht Club and the idea for Proudly Cambridge was born. The founding board members are Lumalcuri, Corey van Vlymen, Brian Orjuela, Lauren Mross, and Caleb Holland. The group is currently working toward forming a 501(c)3.
“We need visibility and support for those who need it,” Mross said. “We started making lists of what we wanted to do and the five of us ran with it. We started meeting weekly and solidified what we wanted to do.”
Mross, 50, a brand strategist and web designer, moved to Cambridge from Atlanta with her wife three years ago. They knew they wanted to be near the water and farther north and began researching their options when they discovered Cambridge.
“I had not heard of Cambridge but the location seemed perfect,” she said. “I pointed on a map and said this is where we’re going to move.”
The couple packed up, bought a camper trailer and parked it in different campsites but kept coming back to Cambridge.
“I didn’t know how right it was until we moved here,” she said. “It’s the most welcoming place … there’s an energy vortex here – how did so many cool, progressive people end up in one place?”
Corey van Vlymen and his husband live in D.C. and were looking for a second home. They considered Lost River, W.Va., but decided they preferred to be on the water.
“We looked at a map on both sides of the bay and came to Cambridge on a Saturday and bought a house that day,” said van Vlymen, 39, a senior scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton. They’ve owned in Cambridge for two years.
They were drawn to Cambridge due to its location on the water, the affordable housing inventory, and its proximity to D.C.; it’s about an hour and 20 minutes away.
Now, through the work of Proudly Cambridge, they hope to highlight the town’s many attributes to residents and visitors alike.
“Something we all agree on is there’s a perception problem for Cambridge and a lack of awareness,” van Vlymen said. “If you tell someone you’re going to Cambridge, chances are they think, ‘England or Massachusetts?’”
He cited the affordability and the opportunity to save older, historic homes as a big draw for buyers.
“It’s all about celebrating all the things that make Cambridge great,” Mross added. “Our monthly social events are joyful and celebratory.” A recent game night drew about 70 people.
She noted that the goal is not to gentrify the town and push longtime residents out, but to uplift all the people who are already there while welcoming new visitors and future residents.
They also noted that Proudly Cambridge does not seek to supplant existing Pride-focused organizations. Dorchester County Pride organizes countywide Pride events and Delmarva Pride was held in nearby Easton two weeks ago.
“We celebrate all diversity but are gay powered and gay led,” Mross noted.
To learn more about Proudly Cambridge, visit the group on Facebook and Instagram.
What to see and do
Cambridge, located 13 miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay, has a population of roughly 15,000. It was settled in 1684 and named for the English university town in 1686. It is home to the Harriet Tubman Museum, mural, and monument. Its proximity to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge makes it a popular stop for birders, drawn to more than 27,000 acres of marshland dubbed “the Everglades of the north.”
The refuge is walkable, bikeable, and driveable, making it an accessible attraction for all. There are kayaking and biking tours through Blackwater Adventures (blackwateradventuresmd.com).
Back in town, take a stroll along the water and through historic downtown and admire the architecture. Take in the striking Harriet Tubman mural (424 Race St.). Shop in the many local boutiques, and don’t miss the gay-owned Shorelife Home and Gifts (421 Race St.), filled with stylish coastal décor items.
Stop for breakfast or lunch at Black Water Bakery (429 Race St.), which offers a full compliment of coffee drinks along with a build-your-own mimosa bar and a full menu of creative cocktails.
The Cambridge Yacht Club (1 Mill St.) is always bustling but you need to be a member to get in. Snapper’s on the water is temporarily closed for renovations. RaR Brewing (rarbrewing.com) is popular for craft beers served in an 80-year-old former pool hall and bowling alley. The menu offers burgers, wings, and other bar fare.
For dinner or wine, don’t miss the fantastic Vintage 414 (414 Race St.), which offers lunch, dinner, wine tasting events, specialty foods, and a large selection of wines. The homemade cheddar crackers, inventive flatbreads, and creative desserts (citrus olive oil cake, carrot cake trifle) were a hit on a recent visit.
Also nearby is Ava’s (305 High St.), a regional chain offering outstanding Italian dishes, pizzas, and more.
For something off the beaten path, visit Emily’s Produce (22143 Church Creek Rd.) for its nursery, produce, and prepared meals.
“Ten minutes into the sticks there’s a place called Emily’s Produce, where you can pay $5 and walk through a field and pick sunflowers, blueberries, you can feed the goats … and they have great food,” van Vlymen said.
As for accommodations, there’s the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay (100 Heron Blvd. at Route 50), a resort complex with golf course, spa, and marina. Otherwise, check out Airbnb and VRBO for short-term rentals closer to downtown.
Its proximity to D.C. and Baltimore makes Cambridge an ideal weekend getaway. The large LGBTQ population is welcoming and they are happy to talk up their town and show you around.
“There’s a closeness among the neighbors that I wasn’t feeling in D.C.,” Lumalcuri said. “We look after each other.”
a&e features
James Baldwin bio shows how much of his life is revealed in his work
‘A Love Story’ is first major book on acclaimed author’s life in 30 years

‘Baldwin: A Love Story’
By Nicholas Boggs
c.2025, FSG
$35/704 pages
“Baldwin: A Love Story” is a sympathetic biography, the first major one in 30 years, of acclaimed Black gay writer James Baldwin. Drawing on Baldwin’s fiction, essays, and letters, Nicolas Boggs, a white writer who rediscovered and co-edited a new edition of a long-lost Baldwin book, explores Baldwin’s life and work through focusing on his lovers, mentors, and inspirations.
The book begins with a quick look at Baldwin’s childhood in Harlem, and his difficult relationship with his religious, angry stepfather. Baldwin’s experience with Orilla Miller, a white teacher who encouraged the boy’s writing and took him to plays and movies, even against his father’s wishes, helped shape his life and tempered his feelings toward white people. When Baldwin later joined a church and became a child preacher, though, he felt conflicted between academic success and religious demands, even denouncing Miller at one point. In a fascinating late essay, Baldwin also described his teenage sexual relationship with a mobster, who showed him off in public.
Baldwin’s romantic life was complicated, as he preferred men who were not outwardly gay. Indeed, many would marry women and have children while also involved with Baldwin. Still, they would often remain friends and enabled Baldwin’s work. Lucien Happersberger, who met Baldwin while both were living in Paris, sent him to a Swiss village, where he wrote his first novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” as well as an essay, “Stranger in the Village,” about the oddness of being the first Black person many villagers had ever seen. Baldwin met Turkish actor Engin Cezzar in New York at the Actors’ Studio; Baldwin later spent time in Istanbul with Cezzar and his wife, finishing “Another Country” and directing a controversial play about Turkish prisoners that depicted sexuality and gender.
Baldwin collaborated with French artist Yoran Cazac on a children’s book, which later vanished. Boggs writes of his excitement about coming across this book while a student at Yale and how he later interviewed Cazac and his wife while also republishing the book. Baldwin also had many tumultuous sexual relationships with young men whom he tried to mentor and shape, most of which led to drama and despair.
The book carefully examines Baldwin’s development as a writer. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” draws heavily on his early life, giving subtle signs of the main character John’s sexuality, while “Giovanni’s Room” bravely and openly shows a homosexual relationship, highly controversial at the time. “If Beale Street Could Talk” features a woman as its main character and narrator, the first time Baldwin wrote fully through a woman’s perspective. His essays feel deeply personal, even if they do not reveal everything; Lucian is the unnamed visiting friend in one who the police briefly detained along with Baldwin. He found New York too distracting to write, spending his time there with friends and family or on business. He was close friends with modernist painter Beauford Delaney, also gay, who helped Baldwin see that a Black man could thrive as an artist. Delaney would later move to France, staying near Baldwin’s home.
An epilogue has Boggs writing about encountering Baldwin’s work as one of the few white students in a majority-Black school. It helpfully reminds us that Baldwin connects to all who feel different, no matter their race, sexuality, gender, or class. A well-written, easy-flowing biography, with many excerpts from Baldwin’s writing, it shows how much of his life is revealed in his work. Let’s hope it encourages reading the work, either again or for the first time.
a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.





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