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Big on the Pig

New EatWellDC venture lets nothing go to waste

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EatWellDC owners (from left) Andrew Howells, Billy McCormick and Josh Hahn at the Pig, their new venture. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Logan Tavern, Commissary, The Heights and Grillfish are all well-known neighborhood restaurants in Washington operated by restaurant management company EatWellDC, a conglomerate run by three gay business partners, David Winer, Winer’s nephew Josh Hahn and Antonio Oquendo. Last month they opened their fifth restaurant in the District, The Pig (1320 14th Street NW).

On opening weekend I visited this pork-centric restaurant, which focuses on snout-to-tail dishes from locally sourced ingredients and ethically raised animals. I met Hahn at the restaurant a few weeks after my first visit and discussed the new eatery, the first few weeks of business and the concept behind The Pig.

The idea of whole animal cooking was a trend emerging in the United States a few years ago, Hahn says, and he and his partners agreed if they were going to open another restaurant in the Logan area it would need to be different. The Pig is still a neighborhood restaurant that is socially conscious but it’s not an American Tavern, “meat-and-potatoes”-type venue. Instead the restaurant specializes in small plates.

“The coursing and rhythm of the meal is different and it is a more service-oriented type of establishment,” Hahn says. The 72-seat space is purposefully smaller then EatWellDC’s other restaurant in order to facilitate the different pace and make sure meals aren’t rushed out of the kitchen.

You notice the more intimate space as soon as you walk in. Visitors are greeted by a venue that’s decorated with rustic reclaimed products. Old barn wood lines the walls along with the iconic EatWellDC chalkboards. An expansive butcher block-topped bar resides in the back of the restaurant. It feels like a comfortable country cabin. The only time you may feel uncomfortable is if you excuse yourself to the washrooms to discover the decoupage-covered walls with pig miscellany, including a pig upside down in a meat grinder.

At The Pig, they’re trying to use as many cuts of the animal as the menu will allow and if the full cut is not featured as a center of the plate item, then Chef Garret Fleming tries to incorporate it in some way.

“Some of the items may read a bit strange, but they aren’t really scary,” Hahn says. Although, quite a few at my table found the chocolate ice-cream with pig blood frightening, and we all steered clear of the porchetta which mentions brains in the description. Other than these two items, all other dishes are approachable. There are even some vegetarian and vegan options available as well.

Hahn’s favorite items are the braised cheek with Spanish sofrito and stone grits and the boar spoon bread with truffles and mushrooms. One of my favorite items was also the braised cheek, which was moist and tender as well as the Little Pig platter, a savory selection of cured meats, house pickles and grilled breads. Slightly disappointing however, were the bland meatballs of pork, lamb and stewed tomato sauce, the mushroom beurre blanc where the mushrooms were undercooked on two occasions, and the burger which was not finished by all five of us who were sitting at the table.

To be fair these were the non-pork centric dishes we ordered. I hope to soon return for the wild boar ragu that sounds deliciously promising, but has been unavailable each time I’ve visited. We were even daring enough to try the Sundae Bloody Sundae which features pasteurized pig blood-infused chocolate ice cream, and were pleasantly surprised by the richness of the chocolate and overall appeal of the dessert.

The Pig is a conceptual restaurant that willingly pushes patrons out of their comfort zone but still delivers a good dining experience. The pork-centric menu has some plates that shine and others that leave the diner wanting more. It’s an experience that is worth having at least once, and when the restaurant hits its stride it has the potential to be excellent. The Pig is open for dinner at 5 p.m. and will soon be opening for brunch as well.

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Sports

Trans cyclist’s victory sparks outrage in conservative media

Katheryn Phillips is originally from DC

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(Bigstock photo)

On the heels of UPenn erasing the record of the first openly transgender NCAA Division I All-American swimmer and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to tackle bans on trans student-athletes, right wing media is now all hot and bothered about the latest trans woman who won a cycling championship — even though she competed according to the rules.

On Tuesday, 58-year-old Katheryn Phillips finished first in USA Cycling’s Lyons Masters National Championship race for women aged 55-59, with a time of 1:42:10, according to the official results posted by the organization. The record shows her gender as “F” for female.  

One second behind Phillips was Julie Peterson, with a time of 1:42:11 — as were three other cyclists: Mary Beth Grier, Andrea Cherniak-Tyson, and Carolyn Maddox. 

Peterson, 57, was so outraged, she told Fox News she refused to stand on the podium in second place next to Phillips. Her story was swiftly shared by the New York Post (also owned by Fox’s parent company News Corp.), the Daily Mail, Breitbart, and other conservative media. 

Both Peterson and another competitor are accusing USA Cycling of “hiding” that a transgender woman had registered to race. 

“It was hidden from us. Katheryn Phillips, KJ’s name, was not on that list. And I checked it up all the way to the point of closure when we couldn’t register online anymore,” Debbie Milne told Fox.

“If I had known, I wouldn’t have spent thousands of dollars in travel and time off work to come and do a race,” Peterson said. Fox welcomed Milne, 56, who finished seventh on Tuesday, to Fox & Friends Thursday morning. 

(Video courtesy of Fox News)

Peterson told Fox she did complain to USA Cycling officials prior to the race. Both Milne and Peterson referred to Phillips as a male, and with “he/him” pronouns. 

“To be fair to all humans, if we want to say ‘him’ or ‘her,’ he was born a biological male, that is a fact,” Milne said. “And that is the thing that makes it an unfair advantage. Whatever has happened after that is a whole different topic.”

“I said, ‘I don’t want to race against a man,’ and they quickly scolded me and said ‘Oh, you can’t call him a man,’ and I’m like ‘Well, he is a man,’ so I was quickly scolded and corrected that it is a woman and I don’t even know what to say.”

USA Cycling did not respond to the Washington Blade’s emails requesting comment. 

Phillips, who goes by Kate and by “KJ,” is a former rugby player with the D.C. Furries, who stated in the comments of a 2024 article published by Zwift Insider that she was the first out trans athlete in the U.S. to compete under the 2004 International Olympic Committee’s guidelines on trans participation. 

“When USA Rugby told me about the IOC decision in 2004, I raised my hand to be included. I experience nothing but joy when I play, ride, and race,” Phillips said. 

As the Blade has reported, the International Olympic Committee drastically revised those rules in 2021, and in March, Republican lawmakers in D.C. demanded the IOC ban trans female athletes from women’s sporting events altogether. 

The Blade also reached out to Phillips for comment but as of press time we have not received a response. She told Zwift Insider in March 2024 she does not let those who disapprove or spread hate impact her performance or her attitude. 

“I am unaffected by dissent. I love, I share joy, I am me, and I have been my authentic self for decades,” she said. It’s been reported Phillips came out in 1999, and told Zwift Insider she considers herself a lifelong cyclist. 

“I’ve been on a bike for as long as I can remember,” said Phillips. “As kids, my friends and I rode all over town, we were feral kids; no cell phones, no trackers … we just roamed, and nobody got in trouble or hurt bad enough not to ride home … Scrapes/bruises/cuts were not an issue for us. In my teens, I worked for myself as a court/legal messenger, doing all of the work via my bike until I got a car. Raced BMX as a kiddo (when I mowed lawns to cover the race entry fees), I did MTB stuff (non-racing) and Sprint/Olympic Triathlons in my 30’s, and now I’m racing on Zwift, Road/Gravel, and CX in my 50s.”

In the comments section, Phillips made clear she’s not competing to win. 

“I don’t do sports for victory, I do it because like many other women, I am an athlete to my core,” she said. “Unlike some, I am not there to WIN, I am there to do my best with the competitors and teammates I have around me trying to do the same…we are in it for the experience. I rejoice in their wins, and a lot of joy is reflected back to me when I have a good day.”

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Celebrity News

Nina West’s ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour comes to Rehoboth Beach

Drag Race’ contestant will be at Clear Space Theater Company on July 6

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Nina West (Photo courtesy of Clear Space Theatre)

Nina West, a drag queen known for competing on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is currently on her ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour around U.S. cities. 

With previous shows in Key West, Fla., New York, and hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the tour is staying put in Provincetown, Mass., from late July to early September. It will make a stop at Clear Space Theater Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as part of a summer cabaret series on July 6. 

Andrew Levitt has been performing as Nina West for 25 years, who got her rise from starring in “Drag Race” Season 11, where she placed sixth and won Miss Congeniality, a title awarded to the contestant who is regarded as the kindest and most helpful one of that season. 

West has toured “Hairspray” on Broadway as Edna Turnblad, starred in a couple of feature films and published a children’s book titled ‘The You Kind of Kind.’

Levitt said he wrote this show in response to attacks from the government towards the LGBTQ community. 

“‘Sugar in the Tank’ is a big old gay fabulous summer musical,” Levitt told the Washington Blade. “The show is a response to the darkness that I think has fallen over a lot of people in the country and it’s hopefully trying to bring a little bit of light and a little bit of joy.” 

“Sugar in the Tank” is a Southern euphemism for gay, often holding a negative connotation. Levitt said he wanted to “reclaim and embrace” queerness in times when some people want to take that away. 

Levitt said he knew he would be traveling to predominantly queer destinations like Key West and Provincetown for these shows and that was always at the forefront of his mind when writing “Sugar in the Tank.” 

This will be Levitt’s first time in Rehoboth Beach. Clear Space Theater is considered Delaware’s second-largest professional non-profit theater and the state’s most prolific producer of professional theater. The space seats just 170 patrons and Levitt said he loves the intimacy of a small venue and that it’s his favorite way to do a show. 

“Stages like this size are the perfect size for me because it allows for me to really showcase my talents,” Levitt said. 

Levitt founded the Nina West Foundation in 2015 to uplift and sustain the central Ohio LGBTQ community, which has raised more than $3 million for various organizations. He said he makes activism part of the entertainment in his career. 

“That’s the nuance of what drag is. We can be ridiculous for fun and we can be serious but it’s all wrapped up into one thing,” Levitt said. “I think that can be the power of it.”

Levitt said West is so much more confident now than when he first started performing as her. He didn’t know where his voice belonged in the community in the past, but because of those who came before him in this art form, he has learned to harness the power of the stage and the power of the wig to be able to tell stories. 

“I really love my community. I love queer people. I love who we are and what we represent,” Levitt said. “Knowing our history and knowing that we’ve been through a lot, I’m really thrilled that as a queen, I can use my voice and my platform to help try to better our community, not try to speak for everyone but try to lend voice to people who desperately need it.”

Levitt’s advice to young queer artists is to not give up on yourself, surround yourself with supportive people and allow yourself the opportunity and space to fail, to ask questions, and to not give up. 

“Our young people have got to be told they matter,” Levitt said. “Oftentimes, people are told that they don’t matter, that their voice doesn’t matter, that they cannot make a difference and I want to remind every single person who’s doing this that they do matter, they can make a difference, their voice is intrinsic to who we are as a community.” 

If Sugar in the Tank was a drink, it would be a Bahama Mama or Sex on the Beach, said Levitt, because they are delicious, juicy, and sugary, just like the show. 

“I just want everyone to know that they should come to ‘Sugar in the Tank’ and experience a show that’s built on joy and levity and silliness and fun and come have some fun with me and show me the fabulous love of Rehoboth Beach,” Levitt said. “I can’t wait.”

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Out & About

Celebrate the Fourth of July the gay way!

LGBTQ events planned for Friday

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Rainbow History Project will host “Pickets, Protests and Parade Exhibit Tour” at 7 p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This event honors the courage, resilience and resistance of D.C.’s gay community. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hyatt Centric Arlington (1325 Wilson Blvd.). This fun event is ideal for meeting new people and community building. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Xavier Entertainment DC will host “Cowboy Carter Afterparty” at 10 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. There will be fireworks, parades, and patriotic fun. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Mezcal Amaras will host “Sha Boing Boing Showdown” at 6 p.m. at Snappy’s Small Bar (3917 Georgia Ave., N.W.). Get ready to test your hotdog eating abilities. Tickets start at $12.51 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Illusions Drag Queen Show will host “Drag Queen Dinner Show” at 7 p.m. at 2323 18th St. N.W. Guests will be treated to the very best celebrity drag impersonations in entertainment. Tickets start at $12.97 and are available on Eventbrite

Thurst Lounge will host “A Thirsty Cowboy Afterparty” at 5 p.m. DJ Apollo will be performing. For more details, visit Thurst’s website

9:30 Club will host “Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA” at 9 p.m. The DJ will play plenty of disco hits from the 70s and 80s. Tickets cost $45.30 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.

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