Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Oct. 1

AIDS Walk, Brandi Carlile in Baltimore, RAW at Green Lantern and much more

Published

16 years ago

September 30, 2010

Juliette Ebner

PHOTO: Openly gay singer Brandi Carlile is at Rams Head Live Monday in Baltimore. (Photo courtesy of Brandi Carlile)

Friday, Oct. 1

Beat the Clock Happy Hour at Nellie’s, 900 U St., N.W., is tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. All bottles, Miller Light, or house vodka drinks are $1 from 5 to 6 p.m., $2 from 6 to 7 p.m. and $3 from 7 to 8 p.m.

AIM presents Jason DeRulo at Rams Head Live! with Auburn tonight at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $27.50 can be purchased at ramsheadlive.com.

Gloss presents Halloween Scream Dance Party at Apex, 1415 22nd St., N.W., tonight at 9 p.m. featuring music by DJ Rosie in the main room and a show by the D.C. Kings and the D.C. Gurly Show at midnight. Everyone is encouraged to wear their Halloween costume. There will be $3 long island iced teas all night. Cover is $10. Attendees must be 18 to enter.

RAW will be at Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court N.W., tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. featuring resident DJs Bill and Shea plus guest DJs the Witches of Shade: DJ Boom Boom Box and DJ Soft Shoe. Also featuring Colby Keller and his “spanking station.” There’s no cover before 11 p.m. and a $5 cover after 11. There will be an open bar from 10 to 11 p.m. on the second floor.

DJ Seth Gold and NiteCamp will be at Town, 2009 8th St., N.W., tonight at 10 p.m. For those 21 and older, cover is $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after. For those 18 to 20, cover is $10 all night. “So you think you’re a drag queen?” will also be tonight starting at 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 2

The 24th annual AIDS Walk Washington to benefit the Whitman-Walker Clinic is today starting at 7 a.m. Same-day registration for the walk only, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt display and other activities begin at 7. A program of music, speakers and warm-up exercises being at 8:15 a.m. The fourth annual 5k timed run begins at 9 a.m. and the AIDS Walk step off begins at 9:15. Visit aidswalkwashington.org for more information and to pre-register.

Cobalt and LevelOne will be holding the Official AIDS Walk Brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will benefit AIDS Walk Washington. LevelOne is located at 1639 R St., N.W.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens will be holding its ninth annual Gay Day today. The event will be a special wedding-themed day to celebrate gay marriage in D.C. Some of the morning activities include an LGBT family garden party with Rainbow Families and an imagination station featuring books, games and fancy dress-up. Some afternoon festivities include two sessions of storytelling with Speakeasy D.C., a wedding reception-style “punch on the Portico,” square dancing with D.C. Lambda Squares and Broadway love songs performed by the Rock Creek Singers of the Gay Men’s Chorus. Visit hillwoodmseum.org for more information including program fees.

There will be an opening reception for “Action Painting: the work of M.M. Panas” at City Gallery, 804 H St., N.E., tonight from 6 to 9 p.m.

Seth Glier will be at Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave., East, in Vienna, Va., at 8 p.m. Glier is a 20-year-old singer, pianist and guitarist from Mass. His debut album is “The Trouble with People.”

Furious Dance Party at Busboys and Poets, 1025 5th St., N.W., is tonight from 8 p.m. to midnight to celebrate the publication of Alice Walker’s new volume of poetry, “Hard Times Require Furious Dancing” with featured speakers Walker and Ben Jealous, President of NAACP. Tickets range from $25 to $70. Visit busboysandpoets.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Superheroes in 3D at Town, 2009 8th St., N.W., is tonight. Everyone will received 3D glasses on the way in and the club will be offering multiple Superhero 3D experiences. Music will be provided by Kidd Madonny from Miami. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. Must be 21 or older to enter.

Sunday, Oct.3

Team D.C. presents the 2010 Champions Brunch today at 11 a.m. at Nellie’s, 900 U St., N.W., with unlimited brunch and mimosas with special guest speaker, former NFL Commissioner, Paul Tagliabue. The Campions Awards recognizes leaders in the LGBT Sport community and include MVP Award, Trailblazer Award and Community Support Award. The brunch is $30 per person and tickets can be purchased at teamdc.org.

Monday, Oct. 4

D.C. Center is having its volunteer night tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Center is located at 1318 U St., N.W. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Out artist Brandi Carlile will be performing at Rams Head Live with Katie Herzig tonight at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased at ramsheadlive.com.

Tuesday, Oct. 5

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers needs help packing safer sex kits for FUK!T from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct., N.W.

Wednesday, Oct. 6

“Fagbug” will be shown on the deck at Nellie’s, 900 U St., N.W., tonight at 8 p.m. following a happy hour at 5 p.m. “Fagbug” is a documentary following Erin Davies’ 58-day cross-country trip in her car to evoke a dialogue about homophobia after it was tagged with the words “fag” and “u r gay.”

Mautner Project presents its Speakers Series: African American Women who Partner with Women Health Issues with D. Magrini and Rachelle Dixon tonight at Equality Maryland, 1201 Sharp St., in Baltimore, at 6:30 p.m.
BookMen D.C., an informal group of men who are interested in gay literature (both fiction and non-fiction), will be diccussing “The Satyricon” by Petronius at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Sumner School, 1201 17th St., N.W. Visit bookmendc.blogspot.com for more information.

Thursday, Oct. 7

“Happy Hours” at the Fireplace, 2161 P St., N.W., is today from 1 to 11 p.m. From 1 to 8 p.m. is “Happy Hour with Tommy” downstairs. From 3 to 8 p.m. is “Happy Hour with Scott” upstairs. Rail drinks and domestic beer are $2.50 until 11 p.m. Rail vodka is $2 from 9 to 11 p.m. VJ Dina Valentine will be downstairs.

a&e features

Mr. Henry’s celebrates 60 years of proud inclusivity

Capitol Hill staple remains ‘a caring community’

Published

51 seconds ago

July 9, 2026

Evan Caplan

Mr. Henry’s has long been popular with D.C.’s LGBTQ community. (Photo by Liz Stewart)

America’s 250^th isn’t the only milestone birthday D.C. is celebrating this year.

Beloved D.C. restaurant Mr. Henry’s, that Capitol Hill staple, celebrates its Diamond Jubilee all year long. Named for its original owner Henry Yaffe, the restaurant opened on a warm day 60 years ago in the summer of 1966 and has never looked back.

Yaffe took over what was then a country western restaurant, renovated the interior to his liking, and created an institution. Yet Yaffe had another goal. As a gay man, “he created Mr. Henry’s to be a place where everyone felt welcome — not easy in 1966 — and he succeeded,” says current owner Mary Quillen.

**Mary Quillen** is the current owner of Mr. Henry’s. (Photo by Liz Stewart)

“Mr. Henry’s has long been a place the LGBTQ community has supported because they felt and still feel welcomed,” says Quillen. Even in the current administration, “the gay community and the diversity-minded community continue to come.”

Since then, Mr. Henry’s has changed hands, opened and closed its second floor, welcomed famed musical acts, and played host to politicians, date nights, breakups, and birthdays. But it still feels like home (and has a note in the National Trust for Historic Preservation) at 601 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.

Its wood-paneled, Victorian-inspired art-filled décor in the downstairs dining room and bar serves American pub fare for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on weekends (and a dog-friendly patio). Upstairs, Mr. Henry’s hosts live jazz performances and special events most nights, continuing a musical tradition that has defined the venue for decades. That upstairs bar has played host to names like Roberta Flack and Woody Allen.

Musician Kevin Cordt said that, “Mr. Henry’s has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. I started as a customer, then became a bartender and server, and now I have the good fortune to play trumpet at one of the best live music venues in Washington, D.C.”

Aaron Myers, executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, is also a supporter. “Not many cities can sport venues that have consistently served the community in the space of culture for more than 50 years, let alone can brag as the birthplace of culture defining talent.”

From the start, Yaffe promoted a rare yet celebrated combination of locals’ bar and soulful nightlife venue. Mr. Henry’s has attracted a diverse crowd at a time when such spaces were – and perhaps still are – uncommon, a diversity that is credited with helping protect the pub during the 1968 D.C. riots.

Longtime customer Evelyn Branic said, “Mr. Henry’s has been my ‘Cheers’ hangout since my wife and I moved to the Hill in 1987. I’ve experienced many iconic moments meeting politicians, reporters, civic activists, and neighbors engaging in spirited conversations. Whether political, LGBTQ, historians, neighbors, or out-of-towners, everyone could find a special place to be greeted as a friend.”

Its welcoming tables come dabbed with a bit of tea: In 1971, in a moment that has since become part of Capitol Hill lore, Yaffe lost the pub in a poker game to Larry Quillian. The Quillian family, recognizing the special role Mr. Henry’s played in the neighborhood, took over ownership, and committed to preserving its spirit. Today, Larry’s daughter Mary owns the bar, having given it a bit of a facelift for the bar’s 50th birthday, bringing in new tables and some fresh menu items.

For example, the menu has some of those dishes that regulars would riot if they disappeared. The Reuben and the hamburgers, the chili and in-house roasted turkey have never departed the menu. Dishes do evolve, says Quillen: they added wings about two decades ago.

In 2026, the restaurant is hosting monthly ticketed “decades” parties, celebrating each of the 10-year periods the restaurant’s been open, plus there were specials in June for Pride. The official 60th anniversary gala takes place Aug. 29, featuring performers, beverages, timeless favorite foods, swag – and the unveiling of a new cocktail.

Inclusive, eccentric, eclectic, Mr. Henry’s is looking forward to maintaining its centrality to diverse crowds in Capitol Hill. Battling inflation, rising menu prices, changing tastes, and thin margins, Quillen says that Mr. Henry’s has — and will always be — “a caring community for so many different folks. And THAT is why I am committed to keeping us going. Society needs places like Mr. Henry’s, now more than ever.”

Celebrity News

Silky Nutmeg Ganache talks sex and dating, gender, politics, weight loss journey

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ semifinalist grew up in Bible Belt

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2026

Uncloseted Media

Silky Nutmeg Ganache (Photo courtesy of Silky Nutmeg Ganache)

Uncloseted Media published this interview on July 7.

By SPENCER MACNAUGHTON, ISABEL STOKES, and BELLA SAYEGH | After appearing on the 11th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the first season of “Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World,” the sixth season of “RuPaul’s All Stars” and now the 11th season of “All Stars,” Silky Nutmeg Ganache, known by many as the Reverend, is undoubtedly a legend.

Born and raised in Moss Point, Miss., Ganache bears all in this episode of “UNCLOSETED with Spencer Macnaughton.” She speaks about her relationship with gender, her 100-pound weight loss, what it’s like living as a queer person of color in a red state and why she’s calling on allies to stand up for the trans community.