Arts & Entertainment
Calendar for May 28
Friday, May 28, to Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Friday, May 28
Premiere of the newest LGBT Latin dance party: S-Kandalo at Remington’s, 639 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E., from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Music by DJ Fantasy, visit latinsouldc.com for more information.
Girl Party every Friday night at the Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St., N.W., 21+/no cover, starts at 9:30 p.m.
Gay District, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, a weekly, non-church affiliated discussion and social group for GBTQ men between 18 and 35. The group meets at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Friday Night Erev Shabbat Services 8:30-10 p.m., Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. Friday Night Services are followed by an Oneg Social. Please use the Q Street entrance.
Sunset Celebration at Mount Vernon, 6-9 p.m. Enjoy evening tours of the mansion, 18th century music, dancing, games and wagon rides. Stroll the lantern-lit grounds and visit with Lady Washington and her granddaughter Nelly. Adults, $18; children 6-11, $12; and children under 5 are admitted free.
Saturday, May 29
SHIFT takes over Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W., from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. with music by guest DJs Zack Rosen and Wesley D.
DJ Billy Steele at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. N.W. A former Elite fashion model, Steele began his DJ career two months after purchasing his first set of turntables with a Saturday night residency at Manhattan’s Limelight at age 22. $2 drinks from 10-11 p.m. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Music and videos downstairs by Wess. $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. 21 and over.
Delaplane Strawberry Festival, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane, Va. The annual festival includes live entertainment, children’s games, pony rides, hayrides, a petting zoo, a 5K fun run, a raptor exhibit, antique cars, food, crafts and strawberries.
MANdance at Rehoboth’s Double L Bar, 622 Rehoboth Ave., with DJ Stephen Durkin, drink specials, go-go dancers. And if you’re not danced out, come back for COCKdance on Sunday.
Sunday, May 30
Drag Brunch at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., hosted by Shi-Queeta Lee. Every Sunday from 11-4 p.m. $20 brunch buffet and your first mimosa is free.
X: Blackout at Cobalt, 1639 R St. N.W., with music by DJ Pete Glow. Cobalt will blanket the dance floor with low lighting, black lights — and at times complete darkness. Doors open at 10 p.m., 21+, $5 before 11 p.m., $7 after.
African-American Collective Theater debuts new play “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” at Warehouse Theater, 645 New York Ave., N.W., one block away from the D.C. Convention Center where D.C. Black Pride’s “Legacy Festival and Wellness Expo” is being held earlier that afternoon. A limited number of tickets are available at $15. For additional ticket, performance time and venue information, e-mail [email protected] or call 202-745-3662.
A very special WTF at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. N.W. WTF presents: Prom Night. 18+, $5.
PBS’ National Memorial Day Concert starts at 8 p.m.; gates open at 5 p.m. PBS sponsors a free concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The concert features actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise and other guest artists along with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Wolf Trap Farm Park’s Summer Blast Off, “The President’s Own,” at 8 p.m. The park for performing arts kicks off the summer season with a free performance by the U.S. Marine Band followed by fireworks. The Filene Center gates open at 6:30 p.m. Arrive early because the park closes once capacity is reached.
Monday, May 31
National Memorial Day Parade, beginning at 2 p.m. The parade of marching bands and veterans units from all 50 states steps off at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, N.W., and proceeds along Constitution Avenue, past the White House, ending at 17th Street.
The National Park Service and the Friends of the National World War II Memorial will sponsor a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of U.S. veterans at the World War II Memorial at 9 a.m. Guest speakers will give remarks. The theme for the commemoration is “Honoring our Fallen Warriors.” Many surviving WWII veterans will be in attendance.
Country Western dance lessons at Remington’s, 639 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. (½ block West of Eastern Market Metro) from 8:30-9:30 p.m., $5 per person, per lesson (dance class participants should wear boots or shoes with leather soles).
Tuesday, June 1
Drag Bingo at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., hosted by Shi-Queeta Lee, every Tuesday starting at 8 p.m. Free to play.
Wednesday, June 2
The Tom Davaron Social Bridge Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Dignity Center, 721 8th St., S.E. (across from Marine Barracks) for Social Bridge. No partner needed. Visit lambdabridge.com.
Each Wednesday at the Green Lantern is POZ Wednesday. Starting at 8 p.m., POZ mixers provide a supportive atmosphere for those who are HIV positive and those who want to help eradicate the stigma surrounding HIV. The Green Lantern is located at 1335 Green Ct., N.W.
General Program Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m., $12, at the Vajroyogini Buddhist Center, 1803 Connecticut Ave., N.W., 2nd floor. Learn to enjoy our relationships and benefit others via study of the Lamrim meditations in The New Meditation Handbook. Topics include: The Prison of the Ego; All You Need is Love; Building Empathy; Developing Authentic Compassion. Each class includes a teaching, guided meditations and time for Q&A. For more information visit meditation-dc.org or call 202-986-2257 or [email protected]
Line dance lessons at Remington’s, 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. (½ block West of Eastern Market Metro) from 8:30-9:30 p.m., $5 per person, per lesson.
Photos
Center for Black Equity honors leaders, activists at BE. Gala
Miyake-Mugler, Oakes co-host annual awards ceremony
The Center for Black Equity held its annual BE. Gala at Conrad Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Lolita Leopard Miyake-Mugler and Anthony Oakes co-hosted the awards ceremony.
Honorees included journalist and producer Justin Stewart; nonprofit leader Nikki Alexander; HIV advocate Marlene McNeese; the nonprofit organization FreeLux Project; actress Monroe Alise; public health advocate Tori Cooper; Manassas Park Vice Mayor Darryl G. Moore; Rev. Dr. Carmarion D. Anderson; Bishop Steven Sawyer; government relations professional Courtney Snowden; Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA at D.C. Health, Clover Barnes; and Texas state Rep. Venton C. Jones.
The event was sponsored by Gilead.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)






























Books
In ‘The Lost Brontë,’ a complicated lie can lead to danger
New book features sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist
‘The Lost Brontë’
By Catherine Friend
c.2026, Bywater Books
$22.95/335 pages
Mom always said to tell the truth.
One lie leads to another and another and you have to remember them all until pretty soon, you’re caught. Fibs are hard, mistruths are messy, even little white social lies can destroy trust. Worst of all, as in the new novel, “The Lost Brontë” by Catherine Friend, a complicated lie can lead to danger.

Though Lilianne Loxley was very young when she lost her parents, she understood that her uncle didn’t really want her. As time passed, though, Lily made herself useful to Uncle, writing and signing letters for him and she became a good companion, helping him with his collection of Brontë memorabilia. Uncle was a keen enthusiast.
She had no idea that his obsession was out of control and he was deeply in arrears. The day Lily learned of his debt was the day she learned that he’d agreed to send her to his debtor’s home to work off the money owed.
It was so sudden. One minute, Lily was at Loxley House, happy and loved by Uncle’s staff … and five hours later, she was at Crag Thorn Manor, home of Lord Bexton, who informed her that she’d be working on his ledgers – work that seemed routine, but Lily tackled it.
Uncle always did say she was headstrong.
But would headstrong be enough to survive, when she was restricted from most of the Manor, when she was forced to dine with Brexton and his slimy friend, or – the worst! – when Brexton told Lily that her next task was to forge a letter from Emily Brontë? And then an entire manuscript?
Lily struggled to do what was right. She had to get Uncle out of debt but this last order horrified her. Did she dare refuse Brexton’s orders and commit a crime? It was unthinkable!
The only brightness in the whole situation was Wren, the ladies’ maid assigned to Lily’s room. Wren was adorable with freckles and the sweetest smile. But with everything else happening at Crag Thorn Manner, could Lily act upon her feelings?
This time of year, you may come to crave dark, spooky stories, and “The Last Brontë” fits those needs perfectly with its Gothic deliciousness. Think: Daphne du Maurier-type, stormy-night squirms with a dangerously chaste, sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist for fun.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve read a Gothic novel, you’re in for a nice reminder of why you love them here. You can almost tick off the must-haves: a novel like this is nothing without a foreboding stone manor with damp walls; stone steps to a dank basement; a mysterious portrait; and a nearby bog, and author Catherine Friend gives readers every one of them. You’d be disappointed if there was no ghost, wouldn’t you? Ha. You can practically feel the cold blow through the attic, right? Yeah, it’s that kind of book.
If you’re a fan of the Brontës, you’ll like this novel. If you love Gothic mysteries or Victorian romances, ditto. “The Lost Brontë” is good, no lie.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
Out & About
CAMP Rehoboth Block Party returns Oct. 18
Expect performances, vendors and more at annual celebration
CAMP Rehoboth will host its annual Block Party celebration on Sunday, Oct.18 at 11 a.m. on the second block of Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach.
CAMP Rehoboth invites all community members to join in the festivities and to expect magnificent performances and dozens of vendors, including artists, craftspeople, non-profits, businesses, and more.
The event started in 2015 in celebration of CAMP Rehoboth’s 25th anniversary. This year, attendees can expect to shop sea glass art, pottery, jewelry, Pride merch, body care, clothing, and learn more about local non-profit causes and businesses.
Attendance is free. For more details, visit CAMP Rehoboth’s website.
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