Arts & Entertainment
Calendar for March 26
Friday, March 26
Pandemonium returns to Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W., with “Pandemonium’s Sultry Funhouse!” The main attraction is famed circuit DJ Wendy Hunt with a midnight performance by Sue Nami. Doors open at 10 p.m.; 21+ with a $7 cover. Open vodka bar from 11 p.m.-12 a.m.
The Gay Comedy Show is returning to the EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St. N.W., with host Shawn Hollenbach (Logo’s “Gayest Week Ever”). Hollenbach will be accompanied by Paul Case (MTV and here! TV’s “Hot Gay Comics”). There is a $10 admission for the show, which runs from 8- 11 p.m.
The Whitman-Walker HIV Mobile Testing Unit will be at the Giant Food located at 1245 Park Rd., N.W. from 3:30–7 p.m.
Gay District is held from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Gay District is a weekly, non-church affiliated discussion and social group for GBTQ men between 18 and 35. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Friday night Erev Shabbat Services are held 8:30–10 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St., N.W. Friday Night Services are followed by an Oneg social. Please use the Q Street entrance.
Women in their Twenties will meet at the DC Center, 1810 14th St., N.W., at 8 p.m. WiTT is a social discussion group for lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and other interested women in the D.C. area. The group is led by several facilitators on a rotational basis. Facilitators lead the group in discussion topics (serious and silly, LGBT-related or not). Newcomers are always welcome.
Saturday, March 27
The 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held beginning today and running through April 11. This year’s festival marks the 98th celebration of the original gift of the 3,000 cherry trees by the city of Tokyo to the people of Washington, D.C., in 1912. Family day and opening ceremony at the National Building Museum, 401 F St., N.W.
The famous DJ duo, The Freemasons, is returning to the states to spin at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. N.W., for a second time. The Freemasons have produced some of the biggest songs played on gay dance floors, including “Million Dollar Bill” by Whitney Houston. Tickets are on sale at the Town box office. Advance tickets are $15; $20 at the door. Tickets can also be purchased at groovetickets.com for $27. Doors will open at 10 p.m. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Music and videos downstairs by Wess; 21 and over.
Comedian Chelsea Handler brings her “Bang Bang” tour to DAR Constitution Hall, 18th & C streets, N.W., at 8 and 10 p.m. Call 202-638-2661 for tickets, which cost $53.50-73.50.
LAMBDA SCI-FI hosts a video party for LGBT science fiction, fantasy and horror fans and their friends. Bring a dish or a non-alcoholic beverage to share, as well as some favorite DVDs, Blue-rays, or AVI files on a USB drive. Noon until 10 p.m., 7015 Sycamore Ave., Takoma Park, MD. For more information, e-mail Teresa at [email protected], call 301-270-6373 or visit lambdasf.org.
Jonatha Brooke and Lori McKenna play the Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $27.50, visit birchmere.com or call 703-549-7500 for information.
Sunday, March 28
“The Wiz” production at University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave., starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 for general admission, $7.50 for all students, $5 for children 12 & under.
Don’t miss the final performances of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” at Warner Theater, 13th Street between E&F, N.W., at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Call 202-783-4000 for ticket information.
Wiz Khalifa with Yelawolf and Jasmine Solano play 9:30 club, 815 V St., N.W., at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15; visit 930.com or call 202-265-0930 for information.
Monday, March 29
Substance Abuse Support Group will meet at the Max Robinson Center located at 2301 MLK Ave., S.E. from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
Relive your big hair ‘80s days as Bon Jovi rocks the Verizon Center, 6th and G streets, N.W., at 7:30 p.m. Visit ticketmaster.com for information and tickets, which range from $49.50 to $503.
Tuesday, March 30
Packing Party at EFN Lounge/Motley Bar, 1318 9th St., N.W., from 7-8 p.m. Volunteers will assemble safer sex kits and enjoy drink specials at Motley.
Wednesday, March 31
Megafaun and Sharon Van Etten play the Black Cat, 1811 14th St., N.W., at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10; visit blackcatdc.com for tickets and information.
Career development at the DC Center, 1810 14th St. N.W., from 3-4 p.m. RSVP to careerdevelopmentthedccenter.org. For more information, contact the Center at 202-682-2245.
Thursday, April 1
The Progressive Dinner Dessert Team will raise money for SMYAL on April Fools’ Day at the Town Tavern, 2323 18th St., N.W., in Adams Morgan from 8 p.m.-2 a.m. A $5 donation per guest at the door is requested, of which 100 percent will go to SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League).
Tom Goss performs live, launching his new marriage equality EP “Politics of Love” at the DC Center, 1810 14th St. N.W., at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and can be purchased at thedccenter.org.
Blog #1: I was excited about my trip even though Gate 1 Travel notified me there was a change in the itinerary. France decided to close the Burgundy canal for long overdue repairs, so we would be traveling on the C. du Rhone au Rhin. I boarded my Air France flight arriving in Paris on time. Contrary to what I was told to expect, customs went really smoothly.
Day 1: Because customs went quickly, I waited 45 minutes for my pre-arranged driver, to take me to the Gare de Lyon, where I boarded my fast-train to Lyon. A two-hour trip. In Lyon it was a long walk to the hotel, The Radisson Blu, but only because I exited the station on the wrong side. Finally got there, checked into a room on the 36th floor with a spectacular view of Lyon. Then took a stroll around the area, a short nap, and finally it was time for dinner and to meet the rest of the traveling party. There would only be 13 of us in the group. Five of us from D.C./Rehoboth, and eight others. I met our guide Patricia, who is from Portugal, and spoke fluent French and English. She is charming, and clearly very knowledgeable. She worked with Gate 1 for many years. We stayed at the hotel for our welcome dinner. It was a great meal, and over drinks, each of us was asked to introduce ourselves to the group. Aside from the five of us, there were three women traveling alone, one gentleman alone, and two couples. They were from New Jersey, New York, Florida, Houston, and Nebraska. I was sitting across from the woman from Nebraska. Conversation at dinner was pleasant but I quickly realized one person was apparently a MAGA. Wonder if you can guess where she was from, lol. But we also found if we didn’t talk politics, which we agreed not to do, things were fine. After dinner we all headed to our rooms for a good night’s sleep.
DAY 2: We woke to beautiful weather. I headed to the included breakfast at the hotel, which was really very good. After breakfast we boarded a bus for a tour of Lyon. We had a full-size bus for just the 13 of us. Our guide for the half day tour, was Vincent, and he is charming and young, and told us his fiancé lives in Lyon. He was incredibly knowledgeable. We began at the Basilica, which is being repaired on the outside, but the inside is, wow! Incredible stained glass, and there was a service going on in one of the smaller side chapels which I l listened to for a bit. The Basilica is high on the hill and the views of Lyon are spectacular from there. Then we headed to the old city and walked around for an hour, ending up at the smaller cathedral. Directly in front of it they had set up a great market, mostly food, which would be there for a week. Lyon is a foodie paradise, with, we were told, a restaurant, or at least coffee shop, for every 250 people. We then had a choice of staying in town, or going back to the hotel on the bus, which I did. The afternoon and evening were free time to do as we pleased. I headed to the Les Halles du Lyon Paul Bocuse, named after the famous chef, to take a look around. It is a large market with small restaurants connected to most of the stalls. It was charming. I then headed to the huge three-story mall across from our hotel and walked around for an hour. Then caught up on some emails, and writing, and met my friends, Paul and Martin, John and Dan, for dinner at 6. We went to a really nice Bistro, which John had found, two tram stops away from the hotel, and enjoyed some drinks and a relaxed dinner. The owner of the place found us a waitress who spoke great English, which made ordering really easy. After a two-hour great meal, we headed back to the hotel. Riding a tram in Lyon is easy, you just need to use your credit card. It is an honor system. Back at the hotel I headed to my room and packed, our luggage had to be outside the door by 8:00 am the next morning. I set my alarm for 6:30 so I had time to eat at the buffet breakfast. Then it was on the bus to head to our barge.
Baltimore
This John Waters interview has been edited for readability — but perhaps not human decency
Pope of Trash dishes on Trump, plane etiquette, last meal, and more
By WESLEY CASE | At 80 years old, John Waters is still the ideal dinner guest — incisively sharp, quick-witted and funny as hell.
The chic Baltimore native proved it again and again in a recent Zoom interview, calling from his summer home in Provincetown, Mass.
The occasion was the Blu-ray releases of two of his movies — the 1977 dark comedy “Desperate Living” and his enduring 1988 musical “Hairspray” — on June 23 by the Criterion Collection, which publishes restorations of films it deems culturally important. The Criterion stamp of approval has become the gold standard among cinephiles.
“It’s like getting an award,” said Waters, who wrote and directed both films.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
The Washington Blade held the seventh annual Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC on Saturday, June 13.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
America’s founders sought ‘justice.’ That fight never ends.
How queer contributions shaped colonial America
Queer existence is much older than 250 years
LGBTQ equality movement takes off: 1960-1999
D.C. has long been at forefront of fight for LGBTQ equality
PHOTOS: Lost River Pride
PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier
David Archuleta on Mormon faith, ‘Idol,’ more in new book
The advantages of owning your home
