Arts & Entertainment
Tiffany’s treasures
‘80s icon-turned-country singer plays free Cobalt show Tuesday
Tiffany
Cobalt
1639 R Street, NW
Tuesday, April 10
9 p.m.-1 a.m.
No cover
Divasanddjs.com
Pop singer Tiffany says she likes a wide array of musical styles, not just the pop style for which she’s best known. (Photo courtesy Divas and DJs)
Cobalt is on a roll — after snagging big-name DJs like Junior Vasquez and Ralphi Rosario last month, pop singer Tiffany appears Tuesday night. Doors open at 9 p.m. There’s no cover.
Born Tiffany Renee Darwish, the pop singer has been busy promoting her latest album, “Rose Tattoo,” her eighth studio album.
“For me, this album represents returning to my country roots,” Tiffany says from her new home in Tennessee. What makes this album different is Tiffany managed and produced it under her own record label.
“I stepped out on my own. It took three months to write the music and 10 days to record, all while dealing with the stresses of managing my business.” Tiffany is considering re-releasing “Rose Tattoo” outside the U.S. later this year
In 1981, Tiffany debuted with country music singer Jack Reeves at a country and western spot called Narods in Chino, Calif. In 1987, Tiffany released “I Think We’re Alone Now,” a pop song that became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
“My music talents cannot be defined by one type of music. I love the ‘60s and ‘70s disco music, I love country music, and that love helped me write my music in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and today.” Most recently, Tiffany has been at the top of the charts with her feel-good dance hit “Higher,” which features a mix by famed remixer Josh Harris.
Tiffany’s diversified music is a reflection of her fans. She’s been a supporter of the LGBT community by performing at various gay-friendly venues.
“I feel like there is a connection between the gay community and myself,” Tiffany says. “You can’t really place people into categories, but others sometimes treat people different if they don’t fit into a particular category … It’s a struggle for acceptance and some of my music is about struggle.”
She briefly dated Jonathan Knight, a member of New Kids on the Block, who later came out as gay.
“Obviously I didn’t know he was gay when I was dating him. We were just two young kids that were not born wealthy and suddenly seemed to have the world at our feet. Our friendship continued even after we broke up,” she says.
Tiffany revealed Knight was gay in a January 2011 interview. She says it wasn’t a big deal because Knight’s sexual orientation had been widely discussed publicly before.
Tiffany’s talents go beyond just singing and writing music. Her first acting job was providing the voice of Judy Jetson for “Jetsons: The Movie,” from 1990. She also contributed three songs to the soundtrack. In her most recent movie, Tiffany teamed up with Deborah Gibson and filmed their campy SyFy original movie called “Mega Python v. Gatoroid.” The movie featured a protracted catfight waged between Tiffany and Gibson.
The pop star is married with one son and takes care of her stepfather, who’s suffering from cancer.
“I am a family person first,” she says. “I am very grateful to have a wonderful family.”
Her next challenge? She plans to open a vintage boutique shop this fall.
“I’ve learned to live in the moment and never be scared to try something new.”
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
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